Building a Safer, Smarter Lab: How a UK Biotech Embedded Compliance into Everyday Workflows

Learn how a leading biotech achieved tighter compliance and safer lab practices by embedding HSE controls directly into procurement workflows. With MyAmici, they turned safety from a manual checkbox into an effortless, scalable advantage.

A case study where Compliance, HSE was made effortless for labs using MyAmici

“I knew things had to change when I came across a seriously hazardous chemical sitting casually on the shelf. No one seemed to know how it got there, or what it was being used for.”

— Lab Manager

Situation

 

A rapidly growing biotech strengthens hazardous substance safety

 

This scaleup biotechnology company was expanding rapidly adding new projects, hiring additional scientists, and increasing the number of hazardous chemicals and sensitive biological materials in circulation across multiple labs.

 

As growth accelerated, their existing HSE processes, predominantly spreadsheets, manual approvals, and scattered safety documents could no longer keep pace.

 

The organization reached a critical point when a hazardous chemical was found stored casually on a shelf, with no one able to explain who ordered it, why it was there, or how it should be handled. Staff were put at unnecessary risk and the company was left with the issue of how to dispose of it safely.

 

They needed a safer, smarter, and more scalable way to manage hazardous substances without slowing down science.

 

“I knew things had to change when I came across a seriously hazardous chemical sitting casually on the shelf. No one seemed to know how it got there, or what it was being used for.” 

— Lab Manager 

 

Challenges

 

Fragmented hazardous substance management

 

Hazardous chemicals and sensitive biological materials were being requested, purchased, and used across multiple teams with little central oversight. Approval workflows varied by department, and documentation lived in disconnected systems.

 

Outdated or missing safety documentation

 

Safety data sheets and risk assessments were not consistently up to date. Scientists were not always confident they were working from the correct version creating risk and slowing work.

 

Compliance risk as the organisation scaled

 

Safety and ethics controls hadn’t kept pace with growth. Hazardous substances were used without adequate safeguards, unnecessarily exposing staff to risk, and human tissue was procured without the requisite ethical approvals.

 

The potential consequences were severe: harm to health, regulatory fines, reputational damage, and even prosecution.

 

No real-time visibility for leadership

 

Leadership lacked a consolidated view of what hazardous or sensitive materials were being used, where they were stored, and whether usage and storage trends indicated emerging risks.

 

Operational time drain

 

Lab managers and facilities staff were pulled away from operational priorities to chase documents, manually route approvals, and ensure compliance retroactively.

 

Scaling pressure

 

As the organisation grew, maintaining safety standards using manual processes became increasingly difficult—risking non-compliance, inconsistent practices, and safety blind spots.

 

 

 

The Solution

 

Safety intelligence embedded at the source

 

The company implemented the MyAmici HSE Module, integrating safety intelligence directly into procurement and project workflows. This strengthened standards while removing friction from day-to-day lab operations.

 

Automatic hazard identification at requisition

 

Hazardous chemicals are automatically flagged at requisition using GHS/CAS data and auto-routed to HSE for review and approval. COSHH references and expiry dates are required pre-purchase, no safety documentation, no order.

 

Sensitive material detection and ethical review

 

Sensitive or human tissue is auto-flagged and routed for ethical and compliance review at the point of request. Required permits or licences can be linked to each product, creating a single auditable trail.

 

Always-current safety documentation

 

Every item is linked to the latest supplier SDS and associated risk assessment, ensuring scientists can access correct guidance instantly and make safer choices.

 

Safety embedded (not policed)

 

Compliance is now built into everyday workflow steps, avoiding heavy, speed-killing approval layers.

 

Scientist-friendly adoption

 

The interface is intuitive and requires minimal training, enabling rapid uptake and embedding safety into daily lab operations.

 

“Instead of implementing heavy handed approval processes that killed innovation and speed, MyAmici helped us build safety intelligence directly into our procurement and project workflows.” 

— Head of Facilities 

 

 

How it works (workflow view)

 

  1. Request / requisition for chemicals or sensitive materials is created
  2. System flags hazards automatically (GHS/CAS) at point of request
  3. Items are routed to HSE (and to ethics/compliance for sensitive or human tissue)
  4. Documentation requirements enforced pre-purchase (e.g., COSHH references, expiry dates; SDS/risk assessment linkage)
  5. Approvals captured with an auditable trail connected to the item and request
  6. Scientists can access the latest SDS and risk assessment linked to the item

 

Results

 

Compliance confidence restored

 

The organization now has full visibility and control of hazardous substance management. Hazardous orders and sensitive tissues are intercepted upstream, documentation is validated before purchase, and approvals occur at the right stage.

 

A stronger safety culture without slowing science

 

Scientists see hazards early, are prompted to consider safer alternatives, and follow compliant workflows by default.

 

A scalable HSE framework for growth

 

Processes and controls now scale with new hires, projects, and sites without compromising compliance.

 

Time back to science

 

By embedding safety into existing workflows, manual admin is reduced allowing scientists and lab managers to spend more time on critical research and operational leadership.

 

Who this is for

 

This approach is relevant for organizations managing:

 

  • Hazardous chemical procurement and approvals
  • COSHH and SDS governance
  • Sensitive biological material handling and ethics/compliance routing
  • Multi-lab visibility and auditable approval trails

Don’t wait for a safety scare to spark change.

Ready to strengthen your safety processes? See how the MyAmici’s HSE Module embeds compliance into your workflows and frees your teams to focus on science.

Get in touch with us today to explore how we can partner with your lab.