Lab containers for education – school & vocational laboratories, RiSU
Teaching laboratories to KMK RiSU 2019, pupil workstations to DGUV Information 202-058, safety cabinet DIN EN 14470, chemical fume cupboard DIN EN 14175, emergency shower and eyewash to DIN EN 15154. During GEG, fire-protection or asbestos refurbishment, chemistry, biology and physics teaching stays on plan.
Refurbishment 12–24 months. Interim container laboratory in 8–12 weeks.
Planexus Engineering Team
Content is owned by the Planexus engineering team — civil engineers, process engineers and laboratory planners with specialised experience in modular laboratory construction. Planexus GmbH is part of Wesemann Holding GmbH and delivers BSL-2, BSL-3, GMP and ATEX containers for pharma, biotech, research and crisis units across DACH.
Why school authorities and vocational schools choose modular containers over makeshift classrooms
The KfW school-refurbishment backlog in DACH runs to hundreds of billions. While works proceed, teaching laboratories are missing. Improvised science rooms in office containers fail the RiSU inspection. Genuine school-laboratory containers do not.
Standards and school rules for education containers
| Standard | Application | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| RiSU-KMK 2019 | Safety in science teaching | Substance list, ventilation, emergency documentation |
| DGUV Info 202-058 | Science teaching – pupil workstation | Min. 2.5 m²/pupil, demo bench, circulation |
| DGUV Info 213-850 | Safe working in laboratories | Emergency shower DIN EN 15154, eyewash, first aid |
| GefStoffV / TRGS 526 | School chemical storage | Safety cabinet DIN EN 14470 F90 |
| DIN EN 14175 | School fume cupboards | Face velocity 0.5 m/s validated, VAV-capable |
| DIN 1946-7 | Ventilation for teaching laboratories | Min. 8 air changes with F7+F9 filters |
| DIN EN 1627 RC2 | Burglary resistance, school doors/windows | Standard, optional RC3 for high-need sites |
| MTA Reform Act 2021 / BTA-PrüfO / CTA-PrüfO | Vocational training BTA/CTA/MTA | Equipment set curriculum-compliant |
| EKAS RL 6512 (CH) / BGBl. II 368/1998 (AT) | Swiss/Austrian counterparts to RiSU | Country-specific container documentation pack |
Eight typical school and education containers
24 pupils, dual demonstration, 4 fume cupboards, emergency shower, safety cabinet, preparation room.
Microscopy places, Class II microbiological safety cabinet for microbiology, BSL-1, plant climate cabinet.
Optics bench, electrical stations, mechanics set, darkened measuring niche, high voltage with safety interlock.
Microbiology + clinical chemistry + haematology to BTA-PrüfO, GMP sampling.
Synthesis, HPLC/GC analytics, polymer chemistry, piloting – to CTA-PrüfO.
Clinical routine, haematology, immunohaematology, histology to the MTA Reform Act 2021.
Electives and research clubs, coding/robotics area, maker space with 3D printing.
Complete science suite for 12–36 months during GEG/fire-protection works.
Six engineering details for school containers
Emergency shower, eyewash, fire alarm
Emergency shower with heated pipework (frost protection <0 °C), eyewash in every corner of the room, Category 1 fire alarm with link-out to caretaker/fire brigade, first-aid cabinet to DIN 13169.
DIN EN 14175 school variant
Face velocity 0.5 m/s validated, mechanical sash lock at excessive opening, school fume cupboard with demonstration viewing window, energy-saving VAV control.
DIN EN 14470 F90 mandatory
Safety cabinet for solvents and acids, bund, ventilation extract to atmosphere, class key system with teacher control, inventory entry.
Pupil furniture to DIN EN 14434
Seat height 38–46 cm adjustable (years 5–13), bench height 64–76 cm, teacher demonstration bench with water/power/gas, abrasion-resistant surfaces.
RC2 to DIN EN 1627 as standard
Burglar-resistant door with multi-point locking, barred windows or laminated glass P4A, motion detector linked to the school alarm, optional RC3.
DIN 18040-1 for schools
Wheelchair access via ramp or lift, accessible demonstration bench (height-adjustable), minimum door width 90 cm, high-contrast signage, tactile cues.
RiSU-compliant school containers: what the school authority checks
Before the first chemistry lesson in the container, the competent school authority – in Baden-Württemberg via the government education services, in North Rhine-Westphalia via the Bezirksregierung, in Bavaria via the state school office – does not inspect the building as such, but RiSU conformity. In practice KMK RiSU 2019 requires six checkpoints: a current substance list to RiSU Annex 2 (prohibition, restriction and permission lists), ventilation evidence to RiSU §3.6 with a documented minimum air-change rate (typically 8/h to DIN 1946-7), a working emergency shower and eyewash to DIN EN 15154 with annual function test, fume cupboards to DIN EN 14175 with validated face velocity 0.5 m/s, a DIN EN 14470 F90 safety cabinet for solvents and acids, and a fire-protection report to LBO and RiSU §3.13.
The school authority also requires a risk assessment under ArbSchG § 5 and GefStoffV § 6, which the school authority as employer prepares – we supply all technical input data (substance inventory, ventilation balance, noise forecast, fire protection). In Switzerland the cantonal school inspectorate checks to EKAS Guideline 6512; in Austria the education directorate checks to BGBl. II 368/1998. Missing RiSU documentation leads in practice to an operating ban: in 2023 several Länder shut down improvised office-container laboratories because fume cupboards were operated without validation and without an emergency shower.
Planexus supplies a school-authority-ready pack: RiSU checklist with tick-off protocol, ventilation evidence with measurement record, fume-cupboard validation to DIN EN 14175-3, DGUV Information 202-058-compliant workstation area calculation (2.5 m²/pupil net) and a sample risk assessment as a Word template. That shortens school-authority release from a typical 8–12 weeks to 2–4 weeks.
Building application for temporary school laboratory containers: deadlines and documents under the LBO
School containers in the school yard require a building permit under LBO § 60 if gross volume exceeds 75 m³ – that applies to virtually every teaching laboratory (3–4 modules of 25–30 m² yield 225–360 m³). The accelerating route: application as a “temporary structure” under LBO §§ 65/66, time-limited to the refurbishment period (12–36 months). Required documents: 1:500 site plan with installation area, structural design to DIN EN 1991-1-3 (snow load) and 1991-1-4 (wind), fire-protection report to MBO/LBO, noise report to TA Lärm (daytime ≤55 dB(A) at the nearest dwelling), drainage evidence for fume-cupboard extract and foul water.
Permit duration varies regionally: Baden-Württemberg 6–8 weeks, Bavaria 8–10 weeks, North Rhine-Westphalia 10–14 weeks, Berlin 12–16 weeks. Container installation on school grounds additionally requires the school authority’s consent and often that of the municipal council (meeting cycle 4–8 weeks). We coordinate both procedures in parallel with factory production so that the container arrives with a valid building permit. Building-application cost including structure and fire protection: €3,500–8,000 depending on Land and number of modules – often included as a lump sum in the hire concept.
Planexus services for education
Technical laboratory planning
RiSU-compliant space programming, workstation calculation to DGUV 202-058, fume-cupboard and ventilation sizing for chemistry, biology and physics teaching laboratories.
Consulting & permits
Building application as a temporary structure, school-authority coordination, risk assessment under GefStoffV and fire-protection report under the LBO.
Modular construction & manufacturing
School laboratory containers from the Albstadt factory: emergency shower, safety cabinet DIN EN 14470, fume cupboards DIN EN 14175, RC2 burglary resistance, hire term 12–60 months.
Frequently asked questions on education
What is RiSU and why is it mandatory for school containers?
RiSU – the Guideline on Safety in Teaching – is a recommendation of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) in the 2019 edition, which is treated as the school-law benchmark in virtually all German Länder. It covers, among other things: hazardous substances in schools (substance lists with prohibition, restriction and permission lists), safety equipment (emergency shower, eyewash, first aid), ventilation (minimum air-change rate), fume cupboards to DIN EN 14175, fire and explosion protection, personal protective equipment. School containers must be RiSU-compliant, otherwise the school authority will refuse commissioning. We supply school containers as standard RiSU-compliant with a documentation pack – including substance-list conformity, ventilation evidence to RiSU §3.6, emergency infrastructure to DGUV Information 213-850 and a fire-protection report to LBO + RiSU §3.13. The Swiss counterpart is EKAS Guideline 6512; in Austria it is BGBl. II 368/1998 as amended.
We are refurbishing our school building under the GEG – will chemistry teaching come to a halt?
No, not if you plan in time. A GEG refurbishment (Buildings Energy Act, status 2024) typically involves 12–24 months of construction – façade insulation, window replacement, heating modernisation. Asbestos or fire-protection works often come on top. Chemistry, biology and physics teaching must not stop in the meantime, otherwise the curriculum suffers and final-year cohorts cannot complete practicals. Solution: an interim container laboratory in the school yard. We supply 2–4 classroom modules with fume cupboards, emergency shower, safety cabinet, teacher preparation and pupil cloakroom in 8–12 weeks. Hire term 12–36 months, dismantling included, building application as a “temporary structure” under the LBO – that accelerates authority approval dramatically.
What requirements apply to BTA/CTA/MTA training laboratories?
Vocational colleges for biological, chemical and medical-technical assistants (BTA/CTA/MTA) need practical laboratories that realistically reflect later professional work – that is, a Class II microbiological safety cabinet to DIN EN 12469 for microbiology practicals, chemical fume cupboards to DIN EN 14175 for synthesis, analytical instruments (photometer, titrator, microscope, centrifuge) for quantitative practicals, GMP-compliant sampling stations for clinical routine. The training and examination ordinances (BTA-PrüfO, CTA-PrüfO of the respective Land, the MTA Reform Act of 24 February 2021 for Germany) require practical hours in a suitable environment – DAkkS or the school supervisory authority (Schulamt, Bezirksregierung) checks suitability. We build BTA/CTA/MTA containers that pass this inspection.
What does insurance look like for school containers?
School containers are treated for insurance like school buildings. The school authority’s contents insurance typically also covers containers provided they are registered in the property insurance as hired goods – that is done with a one-line notification to the insurer. The container shell (the container itself) is insured under our hire contract: all-risks cover for the container and permanently installed plant, liability for property and personal injury arising from container operation. The school authority brings the pupil and teacher contents insurance. For sports equipment, microscopes and valuables in the container school the normal school contents policy applies. Clarification is needed at most for use of the container space by clubs outside school hours – the hire agreement addresses this explicitly.
What minimum size should a school teaching laboratory in a container have?
Recommendation of RiSU §3.5 and DGUV Information 202-058 (Safe School – Science Teaching): at least 2.5 m² net area per pupil workstation, plus teacher demonstration bench, plus circulation, plus a preparation room. A class of 24 pupils therefore needs a net 60 m² teaching laboratory + 15–20 m² preparation room + 5–10 m² store for chemicals and equipment. That fits in 3–4 coupled container modules of 25–30 m² each. We supply modular school containers in exactly this size range. For demonstration-only laboratories (no pupil practicals) smaller modules suffice. For vocational schools with machine practicals (BTA/CTA reactor piloting) we plan larger.
Can we keep using the school containers after the refurbishment ends?
Yes, that is a frequent application. After successful container operation, school authorities often opt for a permanent take-over – as an extension laboratory beside the refurbished stock, or as an “outstation” for STEM electives and differentiation courses. We offer three models: (1) hire extension of 24/36/60 months, (2) hire purchase with offset of hire already paid, (3) purchase at residual value after a book valuation. Variant 2 is often treated as an operating lease for municipal school authorities and therefore relieves the capital budget. Extending the building permit from “temporary” to “permanent” runs under LBO §§ 65/66, usually in a shortened procedure because the container is already in place and running without complaint.
How are school containers protected against vandalism and burglary?
Standard school containers have burglar-resistant RC2 doors to DIN EN 1627, barred windows RC2 or with burglar-resistant laminated glazing P4A, motion detectors and a link to the school alarm system or security firm. Municipal property insurance typically requires at least RC2 for school rooms with valuables (microscopes, notebooks). For sites with elevated vandalism risk (high-need schools, open areas with overnight presence) we supply RC3 doors, coated laminated glass P5A, exterior lights with motion detectors and video surveillance with GDPR-compliant recording. About €2,000–4,000 extra per container – economical, because a single break-in exceeds the extra cost by a factor of 5–10.
School laboratory containers for your education institution
Outline school type, year groups and the refurbishment window. We reply within one working day with a RiSU-compliant concept including a building-application template and hire concept.
Write to us
Lab containers for your industry
We supply pharma, research, industry, education, public health, the energy transition, and oil, gas and refining — each with the relevant standards, containment classes and qualification documents.