How to maintain a laboratory and its equipment?

— Equipo JP Selecta

Keeping a laboratory in good condition means staying on top of 4 fundamental aspects: looking after the infrastructure and environmental conditions, establishing documented protocols, training the technical staff and, as one of its central pillars, guaranteeing the maintenance of both the laboratory and the scientific equipment.

Added to this are periodic equipment inspections, the frequency of which depends on the type of instrument and the manufacturer's recommendations. As a general guide, certain equipment may require inspections every 6-12 months to ensure proper operation and to detect possible analytical deviations before they turn into costly breakdowns.

Laboratory maintenance is critical to its operation

Laboratory maintenance covers the set of technical, preventive and verification actions aimed at preserving operational continuity, staff safety and the validity of analytical results.

To manage these tasks properly, it is necessary to distinguish between two areas of action:

  • Maintenance of the laboratory infrastructure: this includes the general installations of the space, such as air conditioning and air exchange systems, the gas supply, the purity of the water network, lighting conditions and collective safety elements (such as emergency showers or extractors).
  • Maintenance of the scientific equipment: this represents one of the central pillars of operations. It focuses directly on the analytical, preparation or storage instruments used daily in testing.

The pillars of laboratory maintenance

To build a solid working system, laboratory maintenance must rest on four interconnected pillars that guarantee quality and regulatory compliance.

Infrastructure and environmental conditions

Sudden temperature variations, relative humidity outside the permitted range or fluctuations in electrical voltage alter the precision of analyses and increase wear on electronic components. Keeping the conditions of the room under control is essential for the thermal and optical performance of the instruments.

Maintenance of laboratory equipment

Equipment (such as autoclaves, ovens, centrifuges, thermostatic baths or spectrophotometers) requires periodic inspection of its components and calibration adjustments to guarantee accurate readings and thermal or mechanical behaviour in line with its original specifications.

Documented protocols and traceability

Any technical work must be reflected in an operations log or Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Detailed documentation of dates, interventions and spare parts used provides the evidence required during quality audits or health inspections.

Training of technical staff

The human factor is key to laboratory maintenance and to preserving the instrument fleet. Training analysts in routine cleaning, the early detection of acoustic or thermal anomalies and correct operational use minimises failures caused by improper handling.

Types of maintenance in the laboratory

Three complementary methodologies are distinguished in the technical management of laboratory equipment:

Preventive laboratory maintenance

This consists of periodically scheduled interventions aimed at anticipating the appearance of a fault. It includes tasks such as the deep cleaning of filters or boilers, the lubrication of moving parts, the inspection of sealing gaskets and checking the condition of the sensors.

Corrective maintenance

This is carried out after a fault, breakdown or deviation in the operational performance of a piece of equipment has been detected. Its purpose is to restore normal operation by replacing defective components or making specific technical adjustments.

Calibration and verification

This is the procedure by which the measurement provided by an instrument is compared against a reference standard of known and traceable value. It is an essential requirement for autoclaves, incubators or centrifuges in regulated environments in order to demonstrate the accuracy of the test parameters.

How do you implement an effective preventive maintenance plan?

To move from a reactive approach to an organised preventive maintenance strategy, the following steps are recommended:

  • Take an inventory of all equipment: record all the equipment, including serial number, model, location, commissioning date and original technical documentation.
  • Establish the frequency: define the inspection frequency (quarterly, half-yearly or annual) following the manufacturer's recommendations and the instrument's actual workload.
  • Prioritise critical equipment: assign top priority to those instruments whose failure would halt activity or affect high-value samples (such as autoclaves, incubators or cold chain storage systems).
  • Document every intervention: file work reports with the date, the technician's name, the parameters verified and the result of the safety or calibration tests.
  • Have a specialised technical service: ensure the backing of qualified staff and the supply of guaranteed original spare parts with a local technical service.

Sustainable maintenance and equipment refurbishment

Preventive maintenance not only ensures technical validity, it is also a fundamental sustainability practice. Properly maintained equipment operates with greater energy efficiency and extends its operational service life, avoiding premature replacement.

Likewise, refurbishment (comprehensive overhaul, general adjustment and replacement of wear parts in older equipment) makes it possible to restore the instrument to optimal working condition. This philosophy reduces the generation of electronic waste and lowers the environmental impact associated with manufacturing new devices, in line with European circular economy policies.

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Standards applicable to the maintenance of laboratory equipment

The maintenance of scientific equipment is subject to regulatory frameworks that determine the format of records and interventions:

  • GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice): Requires all equipment used in the manufacture or quality control of pharmaceutical products to have rigorously documented and validated maintenance and calibration plans.
  • FDA 21 CFR Part 11: Regulates electronic records and signatures. It applies to systems where maintenance, calibration or sterilisation cycle data are stored digitally, requiring traceability and documentary integrity.
  • ISO 17025 for traceable calibration: A standard that accredits the technical competence of testing and calibration laboratories. It is the benchmark standard for guaranteeing that temperature, pressure or speed calibrations are traceable to national or international standards (in Spain, under ENAC accreditation).

At J.P. Selecta, as manufacturers of laboratory equipment, we offer our own technical service made up of a team of expert support staff based in Barcelona with nationwide coverage, guaranteeing response times of under 48 hours on the Spanish mainland. We have an extensive catalogue of original spare parts throughout the service life of the equipment and calibration services with certified traceability, making it easier to comply with the most demanding standards at every maintenance operation.