Like so many things, I would imagine that it depends on how it is implemented.
I have heard the argument that it is better to offer seating for ergonomic reasons. It allows for a variety of positions throughout what can potentially be a long working period.
I have worked in research labs that did offer some seating. The lab was built with spaces where the seating could be stowed away if not being actively used. While I am not a fan of sitting while performing careful experiments myself, I wasn’t bothered by their presence since I could put them out of my way in a fashion that didn’t block anything else - and it was easy for someone to pull a seat back out if they did want to actively use it. I got to experience a chemistry teaching lab like this while an undergraduate and I really appreciated the design since it did allow for stowing seating when not being used so that it wasn’t in the way.
However, I also worked in a university in which the demand for seating was met by placing tall stools into a lab that was not built for any seating whatsoever. Most of the students didn’t actually sit on them, and since the lab was not built to accommodate these stools, there was nowhere to put them “away” if unused. As a result, they often ended up blocking safety equipment (safety showers, eyewash stations, fire extinguishers, doors) and they were a massive tripping hazard. How do I know about the tripping hazard? As the TA, I was doing most of the walking around in a busy lab and I ran over and tripped over the stupid things constantly!
Best,
Jessica A. Martin, Ph.D.
323-327-3974
jmartin54321**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com
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On Nov 19, 2025, at 2:36 PM, Murphy, Dr. Ruth Ann <000019862d8e7db2-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU> wrote:
Good Afternoon, All,
Are seated work benches in chemistry labs considered as safe as those where the students stand? On the one hand, the ACS RAMP videos show the lower work table; however this arrangement seems more likely to lead to chemical contact from spills.
Thank you!
Best Regards,
Ruth Ann
Ruth Ann Cook Murphy, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
900 College Street
Belton, TX 76513-2599
Phone 254.295.4542
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