Laboratories are bustling environments, often compact, always critical, and full of valuable, sometimes volatile materials. Whether you’re designing a new lab space or reconfiguring an existing one, how and where you store your lab’s assets can have a huge impact on safety, efficiency, and compliance.

At Restore Harrow Green, we understand that smart storage is about supporting scientific progress while safeguarding people, data, and discoveries. Join us as we explore best practices, regulatory considerations, and creative solutions for laboratory storage.

1. Meeting regulatory requirements through smart storage

Thoughtful storage plays a vital role in protecting people, preserving sample integrity, and ticking all the right boxes when it comes to regulatory compliance. Done well, it supports daily routines and long-term research alike.

Health and safety: Improper storage of chemicals or equipment can cause serious risks, including spills, contamination, and equipment malfunction. Ensuring that each item is stored appropriately helps prevent accidents and keeps your team safe.

Regulatory compliance: Laboratories are subject to stringent rules from authorities like the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and COSHH. Storing materials correctly is a key part of demonstrating that your lab meets all applicable standards.

Efficiency in daily operations: An organised space supports better workflows. Staff can locate and use essential tools and substances quickly, helping projects stay on track without unnecessary delays.

Sample integrity: Biological and chemical samples must be stored under precise conditions to remain viable. Whether it’s temperature control or correct labelling, every detail matters in preserving sample integrity.

Storage of chemicals in the laboratory: Chemical storage in laboratories is a carefully regulated process. In the UK, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 outline how to store substances safely to reduce risks to health and the environment.

Segregating incompatible substances: Different chemicals can react dangerously if stored together. For example, oxidisers should never be kept near flammables. Thoughtful segregation in dedicated storage units is essential to avoid hazardous interactions.

Using the right containers: All chemicals should be stored in leak-proof, correctly labelled containers. The container’s material must be compatible with the chemical it holds. Always refer to the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each substance to familiarise yourself with storage recommendations.

Ventilation: Volatile substances may release fumes that pose respiratory hazards. Ventilated cabinets or fume cupboards ensure that these vapours are safely dispersed and don’t accumulate in the lab.

Secondary containment: Trays, bunds or containment shelves are used as an additional safeguard to capture any accidental leaks or spills. This simple precaution can prevent widespread contamination.

Security and access control: Some substances, such as highly toxic or reactive chemicals, must be stored in locked cabinets or rooms. Ensuring these are only accessible to trained staff adds an important layer of protection.

2. Tailoring storage to different laboratory layouts

No two labs are quite the same, and that’s exactly why their storage solutions shouldn’t be either. Whether you’re working in a highly secure biosafety environment or a flexible university lab, your storage strategy should reflect the specific layout, purpose and pace of your space. Understanding these differences can help you make choices that improve flow, compliance and safety.

Biosafety laboratories: These labs require negative pressure airflow, airtight autoclaves, and secure decontamination areas. Storage should reflect the biosafety level, ensuring strict separation of potentially infectious materials and compliance with ACDP standards.

Clinical and diagnostic labs: These spaces demand storage for high-turnover items like reagents, testing kits, and patient samples. Every item must be accessible yet secure, with systems in place to maintain traceability in line with UKAS and MHRA requirements.

Academic and research labs: Flexibility is key. With ever-changing research needs, these labs benefit from modular shelving, mobile benches, and adaptable freezer systems that support varied projects and collaborative teams.

3. Storing lab equipment, chemicals, and samples safely

Safe, well-thought-out lab storage protects expensive equipment and makes sure that your work continues smoothly, safely, and in line with your protocols. Storing laboratory equipment correctly means longevity, accuracy, and easy access during procedures. Each piece of equipment may have specific requirements based on its size, function, and sensitivity. Some guidance from recognised bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) can provide a useful baseline when defining storage conditions and handling procedures.

Storing lab equipment

The storage of lab equipment should always take into account weight, sensitivity, frequency of use, and access requirements to maintain accuracy, prolong life spans, and support a safe working environment.

Regularly used equipment should be positioned close to the work area to limit movement and lower the risk of accidents. Equipment used on a less regular or specialised nature can then be stored elsewhere, optimising valuable space on the workbench.

Heavy or fixed pieces of equipment like centrifuges, incubators, or autoclaves should be located on solid supporting surfaces, generally at lower elevations, to minimise hazards of manual transport, as they then can only be moved with a lift or jack. Heat-emitting or vibrating equipment requires sufficient clearance around it for safe, reliable use. Sensitive pieces of laboratory equipment like microscopes, spectrophotometry analysers, or thermal cyclers can be stored in enclosed or low-traffic areas to minimise possible exposure to laboratory hazards like dust, vibration, or temperature variation.

Labelling and visual indicators are a critical but often overlooked best practice in equipment storage. Labelling shelves, cupboards, and drawers helps to ensure that communal equipment is returned to its rightful spot. Where possible, grouping the corresponding accessories and consumables together with other equipment helps to facilitate rapid setup and maintain a consistent and uninterrupted workflow.

Space limitations are a frequent problem, especially in urban or legacy laboratory facilities. In these instances, off-site storage can prove to be a functional extension of the laboratory itself. Secure facilities provide a means for infrequently used equipment, retired apparatus, or surplus assets to be stored while concentrating on active areas of the laboratory. Restore Harrow Green assists in these efforts through the provision of storage and distribution.

Guidelines for storing chemicals in a laboratory

Storing chemicals safely is a fundamental part of laboratory management, with direct implications for staff safety, environmental protection, and regulatory compliance. Rather than relying on ad‑hoc solutions, effective chemical storage is built around a small number of clear principles that are easy for teams to understand and follow.

Segregation and compatibility: One of the major principles here is that of chemical segregation. Chemicals that can react dangerously if mixed should always be stored separately. This means providing clearly defined storage areas for flammable liquids, oxidisers, acids, bases, and toxic substances, based on their hazard classification.

Clear chemical segregation minimises the potential for accidental reaction, improves the auditability of storage arrangements, and facilitates stable storage and transport handling. Referencing a safety data sheet when assigning storage locations helps ensure that compatibility decisions are evidence‑based rather than assumed.

Containers and secondary containment: Using appropriate containers is fundamental to ensuring the safety of chemical storage. All chemicals should be stored either in compatible, leak-proof containers or in appropriate packages with labels showing their contents, hazard warnings, concentrations, and dates.

Containers with evidence of damage, degradation, or age should not be used and should be removed from service to prevent leaks and misidentification of materials. Bunded shelving, trays, and pallets for secondary containment offer additional protection and will restrict the possible consequences of accidental spills.

Ventilation and location: Vapours emitted by some chemicals can potentially damage respiratory tracts or create dangerous fumes. Use of ventilated cabinets and proper fume extraction helps control these dangers and ensure COSHH compliance.

Where possible, storage of chemicals should be done away from heat sources, points of ignition, and direct light. Proper location reduces risks of exposure to chemicals and leads to a more controlled storage environment.

Security and access control: High‑risk chemicals should be stored in locked cabinets or restricted rooms, with access limited to trained and authorised personnel only.

This method helps ensure that the risk of potential misuse or unauthorised exposure is minimised. Moreover, these factors combined help make it clear that the responsible storage of chemicals is about creating an environment that is safer and more controlled for the lab.

Guidelines for storing samples in a laboratory

Samples are often the most valuable assets within a laboratory, representing months or even years of research. Effective laboratory sample storage monitoring is therefore critical to protecting scientific value and regulatory compliance. 

Temperature control and storage conditions: Depending on the biomaterial, samples may be stored under refrigerated conditions (2°C to 8°C), frozen at –20°C or –80°C, or preserved using cryogenic methods. In regulated laboratory environments, acceptable temperature ranges and monitoring requirements are typically informed by guidance from bodies such as the MHRA and UKAS, alongside manufacturer specifications for freezers, ultra-low temperature units, and cryogenic storage systems.

Cross-contamination: Preventing cross-contamination is also very important, and this is even more relevant in a healthcare or a life science lab environment. The best practice in this regard is to store all your samples in closed and labelled containers and separate them as per your requirements or risks.

Digital inventory systems: Digital inventory systems are increasingly being used for sample tracking. Barcoding or using an RFID system enables real-time tracking of things like location, movement, and access rights for laboratories. This helps in long-term research, simplifying the process of audit trails, as well as enhancing the chain of custody.

A clear chain of custody is always necessary for both compliance and scientific integrity. Maintaining a record of who has handled a sample and in what conditions at what point protects not only scientific results but reputation as well. Laboratories requiring a degree of specificity for greater flexibility and storage capacity have the option to call upon Restore Harrow Green for biological sample storage and specimen transport.

4. How Restore Harrow Green supports your laboratory journey

We know that storing lab essentials isn’t always easy. From a lack of space to managing delicate or high-value items, it’s common to run into challenges. But with the right support, these issues are entirely manageable. At Restore Harrow Green, we’ve seen it all, and we’re here to help you find practical, scalable solutions, such as laboratory relocations, tailored to your specific needs.

Labs are rarely as large as we wish. The answer lies in clever space optimisation. Vertical racking, under-bench storage, and mobile shelving units help maximise the use of available space without compromising access.

It’s surprisingly easy to lose track of tools, reagents, or samples. A digital inventory system that uses barcodes or RFID tags can help you monitor stock levels, track usage, and flag items approaching expiry.

Risks often emerge when materials aren’t stored correctly. Regular safety audits, robust staff training, and strict segregation of chemicals and biological materials go a long way toward ensuring a safe lab environment.

Unexpected events such as freezer failures, natural disasters or power outages can jeopardise years of scientific progress. That’s why having a robust backup plan is crucial.

Restore Harrow Green’s disaster recovery and biobanking services are designed to keep your valuable samples safe, no matter what. We offer temperature-controlled storage and transportation, 24/7 environmental monitoring, and redundant backup systems for maximum peace of mind. Our flexible contracts also allow for emergency support, giving you confidence that your research is protected even in worst-case scenarios.

Good laboratory storage requires tidiness, of course, but it’s also about creating an environment where science can be executed confidently. When you invest in safe, strategic storage for chemicals, equipment, and samples, you’re not only staying compliant, you’re nurturing innovation.
If you’re ready to enhance your laboratory’s storage systems or are planning a move that requires extra care, let’s talk. Restore Harrow Green is here to help you protect what matters most. Contact Restore Harrow Green or call us on 0345 603 8774.