Lab coats are used to protect street clothes from stains and chemicals that are often encountered in the laboratory. They are typically worn by scientists, medical researchers, and technicians who work in labs.

Functional Lab Coats

Lab coats are usually made of absorbent materials such as linen, cotton, and polyester blends. This allows them to absorb potentially dangerous substances like acids to prevent them from reach the wearer’s street clothes or skin.

Like the material used to make lab coats, the white color also serves a significant purpose. The white color makes it easier for lab technicians and scientists to determine whether the coats are clean. This is important for those who work with dangerous chemicals. In the past, many researchers wore black lab coats to help them spot dust particles. Black lab coats were also worn as a sign of respect while working with cadavers. The white lab coat, however, has proven itself more useful than dark colored cloths, so most lab workers use them today.

Styles of Lab Coats

Lab coats usually hang to the wearer’s knee to protect the torso and upper legs from contact with dangerous substances. Most lab coats also have long sleeves to protect the upper arms and forearms. Not all lab coats, however, conform to this style.

Some lab coats fall to the wearer’s waist. This makes it easier for the person wearing the lab coat to move around without obstruction. They are, therefore, often worn in hospitals and doctor’s offices wear medical professionals need a full range of motion to treat patients. While short lab jackets make it easier for wearers to move, they do not protect the upper legs from spills and splashes. They should, therefore, only be worn in environments where workers will not come into contact with acids and volatile chemicals that could cause harm to that part of the body.

Many scientists also prefer lab coats with short sleeves. These have become particularly popular in microbiology, where scientists spend much of their time working with extremely small samples. Researchers found that long sleeves could contaminate samples by coming into contact with them unintentionally. The short sleeves allow sciences and technicians to work closely with small samples and microscopes more easily. Like the shorter lab jackets, however, short sleeved lab coats should only be used by those who will not come into contact with dangerous chemicals.

Buying Lab Coats

When buying lab coats, you should look for options that will work best in your specific type of laboratory. You might find that a selection of styles makes it easier for different researchers to perform their duties. Purchasing a variety of long sleeve and short sleeve lab coats, for instance, will make it easier for everyone in your labs to choose options that suit their specific type of research. It is important, however, for managers to make sure that employees wear lab coats that are designed for the type of work that they perform. This will help protect them from injuries in the lab.