Laboratory Closeout Procedures

Purpose

• These procedures will assist personnel in safely removing all hazardous substances from a laboratory area and ensure that an area is free from hazardous contamination.
• These guidelines apply to ALL laboratories, darkrooms, stockrooms, shops, research/teaching/maintenance facilities, and any other area where hazardous materials are used or stored.
  As the Principal Investigator, it is the Supervisor / Faculty Member's responsibility to ensure that all areas they supervise are properly decontaminated before the research staff vacates..

• Disinfect work surfaces that may be contaminated with biological agents.
• Autoclave and dispose of unwanted biological agents in appropriate containers.
• All sharps (needles, pipets, lancets, broken glass, etc.) must be placed in puncture proof containers for disposal.
• All waste must be clearly labeled and Health and Safety (5433) must be contacted for removal.
• Refer to Sharps and Biological Waste Disposal Flow Chart.(pdf)

• All chemicals must be labeled and sealed.
• All waste must be clearly labeled and Health and Safety (5433) must be contacted for removal.
• Wipe all surfaces and equipment with a warm solution of soap and water. This includes fume hoods, bench tops, refrigerators, sinks and floors.

• A wipe test must be done on all surfaces and equipment where radioactive materials have been used.  Please submit this data to Health and Safety.
• Radioactive waste (pdf) must be properly packaged. Contact Health and Safety to request disposal of Radioactive Materials.(pdf)
• Remove all "Radioactive" labeling and signs from equipment once it is decontaminated.
• The lab will be certified as Declassified by Health and Safety when :
• All Lab equipment has been decontaminated and surveyed,
• All Radioactive materials are removed and secured,  and
• All survey results are accepted and approved by Health and Safety.