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The institution where I teach has just completed a new science building. This is my first semester working there. It was noted during our last lab that the benchtop material is not heat resistant. When hot beakers were placed on the surface it bubbles, burned and delaminated. My guess is that someone was trying to save money.

What I am trying to figure out is whether there are applicable safety and or fire codes. It seems reasonable to expect that benchtops in chemistry labs should be heat and fire resistant. Under normal operating conditions we are working with hot glassware and sometimes use Bunsen burners or other sources of flame. 

Thank you for your help