Sustainable refurbishment of specialized workbenches in the Nuclear Medicine department
“Industry increasingly opts for refurbishment over replacement”
The condition of biological safety cabinets is essential for both safety and compliance. During the annual maintenance and validation cycle, technical specialists from The Baker Company conduct a thorough assessment of both their own systems and those of other manufacturers. This evaluation considers not only technical performance but also parts availability and the economic trade-off between replacement and refurbishment. More and more laboratories are choosing a complete refurbishment. Particularly in Nuclear Medicine departments, refurbishing safety cabinets has proven to be a cost-effective and technically sound solution. The Baker Company has recently completed multiple refurbishment projects in the Nuclear Medicine departments of leading hospitals.
The projects involved four specialized EF-N workbenches in the Nuclear Medicine department. The decision to take this sustainable and cost-efficient approach reflects a broader trend in the medical research sector: investing in refurbishment as a viable alternative to new equipment.
These workbenches, long a crucial part of radiopharmaceutical preparations, had begun to lose reliability due to aging components. Parts were no longer available, and airflow performance was compromised—a risk to both processes and safety.
Minimal impact, maximum preparation
The biggest challenge was carrying out the work without disrupting daily operations in this sensitive department. Thanks to careful planning, flexible collaboration, and clear communication with hospital staff, the refurbishment was performed in phases with minimal impact on the continuity of preparations.
Technical upgrade
During the refurbishment, fans, circuit boards, sensors, and other airflow components were replaced. Old lighting was updated with energy-efficient LED solutions, and an inactive generator safe was put back into operation. All workbenches were validated according to current standards and are now ready for a new lifecycle of fifteen years or more.
