A silent killer in the laboratory – Formaldehyde: Review of effects and management

Despite the known toxicity of formaldehyde and its potential health effects, laboratory workers and others have little enthusiasm for reducing or replacing the formaldehyde working solution. The responsibility of preventing health hazards is by both management and laboratory workers. It is the responsibility of the laboratory workers to understand and adopt good laboratory practices to achieve a healthy environment. It is important to have good toxicological and inflammability profiles that permit the safe use of formaldehyde. The aim of this review is to summarize the various applications, potential hazards and management of formaldehyde effects in the laboratories.