Building or upgrading an anatomy lab? This checklist ensures you don't miss critical equipment, facility requirements, or compliance considerations. Use it as a scoping tool with your medical school, university, or teaching hospital administration.

Core Anatomy Lab Equipment

Immersion Dissection Tables (Dip Tanks) — electric or manual lift, 304 stainless, integrated drainage. For long-term cadaver preservation. Qty: depends on specimen volume and class size.

Standard Anatomy Dissection Tables — fixed or mobile tables for prosection labs and dissection training. 304 stainless, drainage-sloped surfaces, removable grates. Qty: 1 per 8-10 students.

Covered Dissection Tables — hinged covers with gas-shock assist for secure closure and ventilation connection. For rooms needing covered storage. Qty: as needed.

Cold Storage — pathology-style vault coolers or freezers for whole-body long-term storage. Complementary to dip tank preservation. Qty: depends on enrollment and specimen management approach.

Body Handling Equipment — hydraulic lifts, mortuary cots, and mobile carts for transferring specimens between cooler and dissection table. Qty: 1-2.

Grossing Stations & Lab Sinks — stainless workstations for tissue prep, specimen cleanup, and instrument washing. Qty: 1-2.

Accessory Storage — shelving, cabinets, and holders for specimens, trays, grates, and dissection instruments. Qty: customized to lab size.

Facility & Infrastructure Checklist

Doorway & Access ☐ Measure all doorways and hallways on the specimen path from loading dock to cold storage to dissection tables. ☐ Confirm mobile carts/coolers can navigate the route without modification. ☐ Verify elevator capacity if tables/coolers are on different floors.

Floor & Sump ☐ Confirm floor material: concrete slab, tile, wood? ☐ Verify drainage slope (standard 1/8 inch per foot toward sump). ☐ Confirm sump location and capacity for specimen-washing runoff. ☐ Check for floor drains or plan for sump installation.

Ventilation ☐ Have the HVAC engineer review formaldehyde exposure control. ☐ Confirm air changes per hour (ACH) per OSHA / ANSI standards (typically 8-12 ACH for anatomy labs). ☐ Verify exhaust ductwork routing and outdoor discharge. ☐ Plan for makeup air (supply air) to balance exhaust. ☐ Check for any existing chemical fume hoods or downdraft tables.

Electrical & Plumbing ☐ Confirm 120V power availability for electric hydraulic tables and lifts. ☐ Verify water supply (hot and cold) for sinks and specimen washing. ☐ Confirm waste water drains connect to sewer or treatment system.

Chemical & Waste Management ☐ Confirm formaldehyde or formalin storage area with secondary containment. ☐ Plan for hazardous waste disposal per EPA RCRA standards (EPA code U122 for formaldehyde). ☐ Establish a written waste management procedure and staff training schedule.

Lighting & Ergonomics ☐ Confirm overhead lighting level (typically 50-75 foot-candles at the dissection table). ☐ Verify table heights are adjustable or suited to faculty/student ergonomics. ☐ Consider footrests and anti-fatigue matting for long dissection sessions.

Compliance & Documentation Checklist

☐ Review OSHA Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) and Formaldehyde Standard (1910.1048). ☐ Establish written exposure control plan with monitoring and medical surveillance. ☐ Identify authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) for mechanical code review. ☐ Confirm state anatomy board requirements (CAP, state medical board, university accreditation). ☐ Schedule pre-construction walkthrough with infection control and safety personnel. ☐ Document all equipment maintenance procedures and quarterly inspection logs (a condition of equipment warranty).

USPE Equipment for Anatomy Labs

Immersion Dissection Tables • Anatomy Dissection Tables • Grossing Stations & Lab Sinks • Complete Pathology Lab Guide • Compliance Guide