You’ve always wondered why labs make people with long hair tie it back or put it in a hair weave.
What’s the reason behind it?
In this post, I’ll cover everything you need to know about lab safety when it comes to your hair.
I’ll also talk about what you can do with your long hair before entering a lab.
Let’s begin.
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Why should you tie your hair back in a lab? 7 crucial reasons
1. Your vision should not be impeded
If you have long hair or textured hair, it can fly into your face or fall into your eyes when you work.
Many people have bangs and because you’re bending down constantly to do experiments or write down notes, your hair is inadvertently going to fall into your face unless it’s pinned up and tied behind you.
So, to work comfortably, this is one of the main reasons why labs ask that everyone tie their hair behind them.
2. Your hair could mess up your readings
When conducting experiments, it’s important to keep your workspace clean and tidy.
If your hair falls around your desk or floor, it can be messy.
Additionally, if your hair touches your experiments, it could mess up your readings and you will have to repeat the experiment again.
All of this can be avoided by keeping your hair pulled back.
3. It can impede your work
Your hair could get stuck in beakers or other lab equipment as you work and this can hugely impede your productivity or disrupt your experiment entirely.
It could also get stuck in other rotating equipment, glassware, and latches when you’re adjusting stands and so on.
4. It can catch on fire
If you have long hair, there is a very good chance you’re using hair products.
Hairspray is highly flammable and certain gels and serums are too.
You may be working with highly flammable materials like alcohol or other flammable chemicals and your hair could also get stuck in a bunsen burner.
This is a huge risk to bear if you are leaving your hair loose in a lab. That’s why labs ask people with long hair to tie it back.
This is to ensure that no lab accidents happen due to long hair.
5. It can prove to be distracting
When you’re in a lab, it’s preferable to keep distractions to a minimum.
Long hair tends to move around a lot while you walk or bend or do certain activities.
Your hair will distract you and others around you.
And this is going to impede everyone’s productivity, hence it’s preferable to tie your hair when you work in a lab.
What should be done with long hair in a lab?
If you do have long hair, make sure it’s tied back neatly in a ponytail or bun behind your head.
You can even plait it if that’s more comfortable for you.
If you have bangs or a fringe, then use hair pins to pin it to the side so that your hair doesn’t get into your eyes when you’re working.
Additionally, you can wear disposable hair covers like this over your hair to ensure that none of your hair falls into your workspace in the lab.
Whether you have loose clothes or long hair, make sure that it’s all tied back so that it doesn’t interfere with your work.
It’s more practical and comfortable.
