Laboratory Centrifuge - Safety

Safety

The load in a laboratory centrifuge must be carefully balanced. This is achieved by using a combination of samples and balance tubes which all have the same weight or by using various balancing patterns without balance tubes. Small differences in mass of the load can result in a large force imbalance when the rotor is at high speed. This force imbalance strains the spindle and may result in damage to the centrifuge or personal injury. Some centrifuges have an automatic rotor imbalance detection feature that immediately discontinues the run when an imbalance is detected.

Before starting a centrifuge, an accurate check of the rotor and lid locking mechanisms is mandatory. Centrifuge rotors should never be touched while moving, because a spinning rotor can cause serious injury. Modern centrifuges generally have features that prevent accidental contact with a moving rotor as the main lid is locked during the run.

Centrifuge rotors have tremendous kinetic energy during high speed rotation. Rotor failure, caused by mechanical stress from the high forces imparted by the motor, can occur due to manufacturing defects, routine wear and tear, or improper use and maintenance. Such a failure can be catastrophic failure, especially with larger centrifuges, and generally results in total destruction of the centrifuge. While centrifuges generally have safety shielding to contain these failures, such shielding may be inadequate, especially in older models, or the entire centrifuge unit may be propelled from its position, resulting in damage to nearby personnel and equipment. Uncontained rotor failures have shattered laboratory windows and destroyed refrigerators and cabinetry. To reduce the risk of rotor failures, centrifuge manufactures specify operating and maintenance procedures to ensure that rotors are regularly inspected and removed from service or derated (only operated at lower speeds) when they are past their expected lifetime.

Another potential hazard is the aerosolization of hazardous samples during centrifugation. To prevent contamination of the laboratory, rotor lids with special aerosol-tight gaskets are available. The rotor can be loaded with the samples within a hood and the rotor lid fixed on the rotor. Afterwards, the aerosol-tight system of rotor and lid is transferred to the centrifuge. The rotor can then be fixed within the centrifuge without opening the lid. After the run, the entire rotor assembly, including the lid, is removed from the centrifuge to the hood for further steps, maintaining the samples within a closed system.