VA HANDBOOK 7610 (240)
August 20, 1986
(b) Student Laboratory/Classroom .............................................................................................. 3.7 NSM ( 40 NSF)
per student
(Maximum =
37.2 NSM (400 NSF))
(c) Student Study Cubicle .............................................................................................................. 2.8 NSM ( 30 NSF)
per 2 students
(Maximum .=
13.9 NSM (150 NSF))
(3) Conference Room
Dedicated space will be provided for Laboratory Service only when similar space
provided for an adjacent service is not available to be shared.
(a) Level S .........................................................................................................................................
18.6 NSM (200 NSF)
(b) Level M .......................................................................................................................................
27.9 NSM (300 NSF)
(c) Levels VL and L .........................................................................................................................
37.2 NSM (400 NSF)
c. Laboratory Work Areas
Basic laboratory work areas should be of open design with partitions used only
where noise reduction, odor containment, security, safety, privacy or other special
need exists, such as for blood bank, special chemistry, microbiology and tissue
cutting and fixation in the histology section and cytology.
Laboratory functions requiring rapid reporting of results (immediate response area)
and the blood bank should be as close as possible to the specimen accessioning
area. The next distant areas should be routine hematology, chemistry and other
laboratory functions where reporting of results may be delayed up to 24 hours.
General microbiology, special chemistry, histology, electron microscopy and the
autopsy suite may be located near the periphery of the laboratory and most distant
from the central activity point.
(1) Core Functions
At a central point in each laboratory a CORE group of functions are needed. These
represent the information and logistical hub of the laboratory.
(a) Specimen Accessioning, Processing and Distribution Room: This is a central
receiving point for all specimens and requests, except those for microbiological
examination which usually are delivered directly to Microbiology Section, to be
checked for their adequacy for analysis. Specimens, with accompanying request
forms, are examined, centrifuged if necessary, and routed to the various sections
of the laboratory. All specimens are potentially dangerous, and centrifugation
should be performed under a hood, or the ventilation system should be designed
in a manner which will prevent dispersion of dangerous aerosols into the
environment.
1. Level S ......................................................................................................................................... 9.3 NSM (100 NSF)
2. Level M .......................................................................................................................................11.2 NSM (120 NSF)
3. Level L .........................................................................................................................................32.5 NSM (350 NSF)
4. Level VL ......................................................................................................................................41.8 NSM (450 NSF)
(b) Immediate Response (Stat) Laboratory: Tests which require rapid processing and
analysis are performed in this area, to provide results which may be needed
within a short period of time, and are usually needed for life -threatening
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