As the year is drawing to an end, many laboratories across South Africa take stock of their operations, budgets, research productivity and overall workflow efficiency. It is the perfect moment to reflect on what worked well, what caused delays and what could be improved in the coming year. One of the most effective ways to strengthen lab performance, cut unnecessary costs and boost reliability is by adopting lean practices.
Lean methodology, originally developed in manufacturing, has become widely embraced in scientific and technical environments. Laboratories in research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, diagnostic facilities, and industrial testing environments are increasingly recognising that lean thinking helps create safer, more productive and more efficient spaces. Lean is not about cutting corners or sacrificing scientific rigor. Instead, it focuses on eliminating waste, reducing variability, improving workflow and enabling staff to focus on high-value scientific work.
Below is a practical, science-centred guide to implementing lean practices in your laboratory as we prepare for the year ahead.
1. Start With a Lean Mindset: What Lean Means for Laboratories
Lean is built on five core principles:
- Define value
- Map the value stream
- Create flow
- Establish pull
- Pursue continuous improvement
In a laboratory setting, value refers to activities that contribute directly to high-quality results, repeatable processes, safety compliance and reliable turnaround times. Anything that does not improve data quality, reduce risk or enhance workflow efficiency is considered waste.
Common forms of waste in laboratories include:
- Excessive movement between benches and storage
- Equipment downtime
- Waiting for reagents, samples or instrument availability
- Over-processing tests or repeating work
- Unnecessary inventory
- Poorly organised workspaces
- Searching for tools, documents or consumables
- Storing broken or unused equipment
As the year is drawing to an end, lab managers often review performance indicators. This makes it an ideal time to identify where these forms of waste appear and how they affect daily operations.
2. Map Your Lab’s Processes to Identify Inefficiencies
A critical early step in implementing lean practices is creating a value stream map. This is a detailed diagram of how work flows through the laboratory—from sample receipt to final reporting. It reveals delays, bottlenecks and sources of waste.
To create your map:
- Choose a common workflow (e.g., preparation → analysis → documentation).
- Observe each step directly.
- Record waiting times, batch sizes, errors, and reworks.
- Note equipment usage patterns.
- Trace movement across the lab.
Many South African labs find that inefficiencies come from:
- Multiple staff members using the same key piece of equipment
- Samples travelling long distances across the workspace
- Poor scheduling of instrument usage
- Redundant paperwork
- Unclear responsibilities or inconsistent procedures
By visualising the entire process, it becomes easier to redesign the workflow and remove unnecessary steps. As the year is drawing to an end, reviewing your maps with your team can help set improvement goals for the next year.
3. Use the 5S Method to Organise the Laboratory
One of the simplest and most transformative lean tools in scientific environments is 5S, a structured approach to improving organisation and workspace cleanliness.
The 5S framework includes:
- Sort – Remove unused equipment, expired chemicals and unnecessary clutter.
- Set in Order – Arrange items logically; label storage spaces and group similar tools.
- Shine – Clean work areas and equipment regularly.
- Standardise – Create uniform cleaning, storage and handling procedures.
- Sustain – Train staff and audit the workspace to maintain standards.
When the year winds down, labs typically handle fewer experiments and have shorter operational cycles. This is the perfect opportunity to:
- Reorganise cupboards
- Inspect equipment
- Remove duplicated tools
- Clear outdated consumables
- Re-label storage drawers
- Establish new workflow patterns
Labs that implement 5S often report fewer errors, faster setup times and improved morale because staff know exactly where to find the tools they need.
4. Improve Equipment Workflow to Reduce Downtime
Lean laboratories pay close attention to how instruments are placed, shared and used. Poorly managed equipment flow leads to waiting times, redundant work and delays in analysis.
Key practices include:
- Placing frequently used instruments close to related tasks
- Reducing walking distance between sequential steps
- Implementing booking systems for high-demand instruments
- Scheduling preventive maintenance
- Ensuring backup equipment for mission-critical processes
- Standardising troubleshooting procedures
As the year is drawing to an end, review logs for:
- Unplanned downtime
- Frequent breakdowns
- Repeated calibration issues
- Equipment that is under-utilised
- Instruments nearing end-of-life
This helps determine whether certain instruments need maintenance, replacement or workflow reassignment in the new year. Partnering with an experienced supplier such as B&M Scientific ensures that equipment remains reliable and properly calibrated.
5. Minimise Inventory Waste Through Smarter Stock Management
Inventory is one of the biggest sources of waste in laboratories. Overstocking leads to expired reagents and unnecessary storage costs. Understocking leads to workflow stoppages and delayed turnaround times.
Lean laboratories use just-in-time inventory systems to ensure the right materials are available when needed, without excessive surplus.
Techniques include:
- Setting minimum and maximum stock levels
- Using colour-coded consumable bins
- Tracking expiry dates electronically
- Centralising reagent preparation
- Assigning stock ownership to specific staff
- Ordering based on monthly usage trends
As the year is drawing to an end, many labs manually audit inventory. This is the ideal moment to:
- Discard expired or low-quality consumables
- Consolidate duplicated stock
- Update procurement lists
- Set clearer inventory rules for next year
Well-managed inventory saves time, prevents contamination and reduces operational costs.
6. Standardise Processes to Reduce Variability and Error
One of the most powerful lean strategies is process standardisation. Laboratories rely on accuracy and reproducibility, so any variability in technique, documentation or sample handling can compromise results.
Create standard operating procedures (SOPs) for:
- Sample preparation
- Instrument calibration
- Data recording
- Cleaning and shutdown procedures
- Labelling and storage
- Safety protocols
Lean labs also embrace visual controls, such as:
- Colour-coded waste bins
- Footprints for equipment placement
- Wall-mounted checklists
- Instrument status tags
- Flow charts displayed at benches
As the year is drawing to an end, reviewing SOP compliance helps identify training gaps and opportunities for clearer instructions. Updating SOPs annually keeps the lab prepared for audits, inspections and SANAS compliance.
7. Streamline Communication and Documentation
Communication failures in labs often lead to duplicated work, missing results, or delays. Lean practices improve the flow of information through structured systems.
Consider implementing:
- Daily five-minute team huddles
- Visual progress boards
- Digital LIMS systems
- Shared instrument logs
- Clear handover procedures
- Error-reporting systems that encourage learning, not blame
As the year closes, reviewing documentation gaps is invaluable. Many labs discover:
- Incomplete logbooks
- Missing calibration records
- Unfiled data sheets
- Unclear responsibilities during shifts
Fixing these issues creates a stronger foundation for efficient operations in the new year.
8. Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement
Lean practices succeed only when staff members embrace them. Every person in the lab should feel empowered to suggest improvements, flag inefficiencies and help refine workflows.
Encourage a lean culture by:
- Providing continuous training
- Recognising staff who suggest improvements
- Sharing success stories
- Setting monthly improvement targets
- Reviewing errors as learning opportunities
As the year is drawing to an end, many labs conduct reflection meetings to gather team insights. This is the ideal time to ask:
- What slowed us down this year
- What caused errors or delays
- What procedures worked well
- What should change in the new year
Continuous improvement keeps the laboratory adaptable, competitive and aligned with modern scientific best practices.
Conclusion: A Better Way to Work in the New Year
Lean practices enable laboratories to achieve higher quality results, reduce costs, minimise waste and create safer, more efficient working environments. As the year is drawing to an end, adopting lean thinking sets your team up for stronger performance, cleaner workflows and better scientific outcomes in the year ahead.
By embracing lean principles, organising your workspace, optimising equipment flow, streamlining communication and standardising processes, your laboratory can deliver faster, more reliable and more reproducible results.
If you need assistance with equipment planning, workflow optimisation or sourcing the right instruments to support lean laboratory operations, B&M Scientific is ready to help. We supply high-quality lab instruments, consumables and maintenance support through Lab Buddy, ensuring your lab remains efficient, compliant and ready for the challenges of the year ahead.
