Pipetting Risk Factors

n   Repetitive motion of the hands, forearm and thumb, or fingers

n   Pinch grip when handling pipette tips, or opening vials

n   Bending and twisting of the wrist

n   Working with "winged" elbows (elbow held at an elevated position away from the body)

n   Neck bent forward or to the side and/or jutted chin

n   Awkward and static postures

n   Excessive force of the thumb

Pipetting Tips

Alternate between sitting and standing .

n   Minimize awkward body posture.

n   Avoid resting arms on sharp workstation and lab bench edges. Pad edges if necessary.

n   Take frequent microbreaks of 1-2 minutes at least every 30 minutes. Alternate activities to minimize continuous pipetting for long periods.

n   Maintain straight wrists. Keep the elbows close to the body.

n   Share the workload between the right and left hands. Rotate pipetting tasks with other qualified lab colleagues.

 Pipetting Correctly 

n   Keep waste bins, beakers, and other frequently used items as close as possible.

n   Relax your grip on the pipette.

n   Use shorter pipettes and pipette tips.

n   Choose pipettes that require minimal hand and finger effort and comfortably fit your hand.

n   Utilize automated processes or multi-channel pipettes for highly repetitive jobs.

n   Clean pippettors on schedule basis to reduce sticking.

n   Use an adjustable chair or stool.