School Laboratory Setup Checklist: Plan Space, Equipment & Safety

1. Define the teaching and class requirements first

Before choosing products, prepare a short requirement brief with the principal, subject teachers and laboratory in-charge. It should identify:

• Classes and subjects that will use the laboratory.
• Practical activities, demonstrations and experiments planned during the academic year.
• Number of students using the room at one time and how groups will rotate.
• Equipment already available, its condition and any calibration or repair needs.
• Available room dimensions, water, drainage, electrical supply, network access and ventilation.
• Likely future requirements, such as additional classes, subjects or student capacity.

This brief becomes the basis for the equipment schedule and bill of quantities (BOQ). It also helps prevent duplicate purchases and makes it easier to compare supplier quotations on the same specification.

2. Match the equipment to the type of laboratory

Each subject has different apparatus, storage and utility needs. Use the categories below as a starting point, then validate every item against the school's current syllabus and practical plan.

3. Plan the room, movement and utilities

Room planning should happen before furniture and apparatus are finalised. Mark the proposed benches, demonstration area, teacher position, storage, sinks, electrical points and exits on a room plan. Allow enough clear movement space for students and staff to work without blocking access to safety equipment or exits.

• Arrange benches and workstations for clear supervision and circulation.
• Keep demonstration areas visible from student work areas.
• Provide suitable storage for consumables, non-consumables and valuable equipment.
• Plan water, drainage, electrical points, earthing, network access and ventilation according to the equipment.
• Keep exits and access to emergency equipment unobstructed.
• Check furniture height, seating, cable routing and accessibility for the students who will use the room.

For CBSE-affiliated schools, the Board's infrastructure page lists a minimum 9 m × 6 m room for a science laboratory and a computer laboratory, and says a mathematics laboratory should be at least the size of a regular classroom. The science-lab provision refers to a composite lab for secondary level and/or separate Physics, Chemistry and Biology laboratories for senior secondary level. Check the applicable affiliation clauses and any later amendments before finalising a building plan.

4. Check the applicable CBSE requirements

Do not rely on an old equipment list or a supplier's generic package as proof of affiliation compliance. Review the latest applicable CBSE Affiliation Bye-Laws, circulars and subject-specific laboratory SOPs for the school's level and subjects.

CBSE also publishes subject-specific laboratory SOPs. For example, its Biology Laboratory SOP covers room infrastructure, storage, notice boards, waste management, fire protection and student supervision. Use the SOP for the relevant subject rather than assuming one checklist applies identically to every laboratory.

This guide is a planning aid, not a compliance certificate or legal interpretation. Requirements can change and may differ by school category, subject level and local authority.

5. Make safety and supervision part of the design

Safety is not an item to add at the end of a purchase list. It affects room layout, storage, utilities, supervision and the way practicals are scheduled. CBSE's Biology Laboratory SOP lists general science-lab precautions including unobstructed exits, suitable fire extinguishers, periodic checks of gas and electrical fittings, secure and labelled storage, protective equipment, first aid and close supervision of students during practical work.

• Keep exits clear and make emergency contact details and laboratory rules visible.
• Provide fire-safety and first-aid arrangements appropriate to the room and local requirements.
• Inspect gas fittings, electrical equipment, insulation and other utilities on a defined schedule.
• Label and secure chemicals, specimens, tools and other materials; restrict access where needed.
• Use suitable ventilation or extraction and experiment-specific protective equipment.
• Separate and dispose of chemical, biological, broken-glass and general waste using school procedures and applicable rules.
• Allow practical work only with teacher or authorised staff supervision.

The school should also check applicable state, municipal, building, fire and other safety requirements. The CBSE safety page points schools to national and local safety provisions, including State Government and municipal prescriptions for fire and building safety.

6. Prepare a clear BOQ before requesting quotations

A useful bill of quantities (BOQ) lists each item and the specification against which suppliers should quote. Avoid comparing packages based only on the number of products or a single total price.

Ask each supplier to identify exclusions clearly. Furniture, electrical work, network cabling, ventilation, chemical storage, consumables, installation and staff orientation may be quoted separately. Record those differences before approving a purchase.

7. Inspect and commission the laboratory before use

Before the first practical class, check the delivered items against the BOQ and confirm that the room is ready for supervised use.

• Match delivered items, model numbers and quantities to the approved BOQ.
• Check visible damage, accessories, manuals, warranties and licences.
• Test equipment, network connections and utilities with the responsible staff.
• Confirm that storage, labels, safety equipment and waste arrangements are in place.
• Record missing items, defects, handover documents and corrective actions.
• Orient teachers and laboratory staff on equipment use, storage, supervision and maintenance.

School laboratory setup checklist

Use this summary during the school's planning meeting and site review.

Frequently asked questions