Can a meal preparation room be installed in the laboratory building of a hazardous chemicals enterprise? ? ?

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Those who have worked in corporate laboratories know that working in such environments requires shifting shifts, and laboratory technicians are no exception. Due to the need to collect samples on-site or because of temporary requirements for analysis, they often do not have time to go to the cafeteria during meal times; by the time they are available, the cafeteria has already closed. Many employers have asked whether it would be possible, as a way of showing care for their employees and taking into account the characteristics of laboratories, to set up a dining area within the laboratory. This area would be unused most of the time, and during meal times, cafeteria staff could prepare meals in insulated containers and deliver them there. Once the laboratory technicians finish their work, they could then go there to get their meals and eat. I. Requirements at the regulatory level: SH/T 3103-2019, \"Design Code for Central Laboratories in Petrochemical Industries\", Section 4.4 – The central laboratory should be located separately; it is not advisable to build it in the same building as the central control room or office buildings. 5.2.1.9 The management area should be located separately from the experimental area. II. Explanation of the relevant regulatory provisions: The explanation for clause 4.4 of SH/T 3103-2019, \"Code for Design of Central Laboratory in Petrochemical Industries\", states as follows: \"In accordance with Article 3.3.5 of GB50016-2014, when offices and rest rooms are located within Class C industrial buildings, they should be separated from other areas by firewalls with a fire resistance rating of not less than 2.5 hours and floor slabs with a fire resistance rating of 1.0 hour. Additionally, at least one separate emergency exit must be provided; therefore, it is not advisable to integrate such facilities with office buildings.\" ” The explanatory note for clause 5.2.1.9 of SH/T 3103-2019, \"Design Code for Central Laboratory in Petrochemical Industries,\" states as follows: \"The management area includes auxiliary rooms such as the shift handover room, management office, dressing room, and document room.\" ” The explanatory note to Article 3.3.5 of GB50016-2014 \"Code for Fire Protection Design of Buildings\" (2018 edition) states as follows: \"In Class C factories, office rooms used for management, control, or supervision of production processes, as well as temporary rest areas for workers, must be separated from the production areas using fire-resistant components as specified. There must also be evacuation stairs and exits that lead directly outside the factory. Doors that are provided for ease of communication and connect to the production areas must be of Class B fire resistance standard.\" ” III. Summary: After reviewing the above regulatory requirements and explanatory provisions, you might feel confused – so, can a laboratory have a meal preparation room? From a regulatory perspective, the meal preparation room is an auxiliary room that falls under the category of management areas, and it certainly should not be located in the same place as the laboratory. So, how can we set it up in a way that meets both the actual needs of laboratory technicians and the regulatory requirements? In fact, the regulations also provide a solution: the meal preparation area should be located in the management zone, with a clear separation between the management zone and the experimental zone, so that they remain independent of each other and do not interfere with one another. The management zone must meet the requirements specified in Article 3.3.5 of GB50016-2014 \"Code for Fire Protection Design of Buildings\" (2018 edition). This article represents only personal opinions; please feel free to point out any unreasonable aspects!