Laboratory Closeout Procedure

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Overview
Laboratories within Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC) must be left in a state suitable for new occupants or for renovation activities. The vacating Principal Investigator and Department are responsible for ensuring the disinfection of equipment and counters, electronics and fluorescent bulb recycling, and disposal of chemical, biological, radioactive waste materials are properly completed prior to vacating the space.

Applicability
The procedures described here are to be used in the event that laboratories within WCMC are to be vacated whether due to a Principle Investigator leaving the institution, research activities in a particular laboratory are being relocated or terminated, or a renovation project is scheduled.

Responsibilities
Environmental Health and Safety will provide proper guidance for the vacating of laboratories. EHS will guide Principal Investigators and Departments through the process of cleaning up a laboratory for clearance purposes. EHS will issue a laboratory clearance for those vacated laboratories found to be compliant with these guidelines.

Departments are responsible for ensuring that all Principal Investigators follow these guidelines to ensure laboratory clearance by EHS. Departments are ultimately responsible for the clearance of laboratory space and equipment of Principle Investigators that have left WMC.

Principal Investigator(s) are responsible for following these guidelines to ensure that laboratories are left in a suitable condition for EHS to issue a laboratory clearance.

Facilities and Outside Contractors must not work in laboratories that have not been cleared. Cleared laboratory equipment will have a signed (by EHS and RSO) Clearance Form attached.

Procedure
Laboratory space cannot be re-occupied nor renovation work started until the space has been inspected and cleared by Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and the Radiation Safety Office (RSO). Once clearance is completed, the Laboratory Clearance Form will be posted conspicuously in the laboratory or area that has been cleared.

The vacating Principal Investigator and Department must complete the following procedures before the laboratory space will be cleared by Environmental Health and Safety.

  1. Radioactive Materials (RAM)
    If the laboratory has been authorized for radiation use, you must call (RSO) at 212-746-6964, for assistance with clearance. All radioactive waste, lead pigs, lead bricks, sheeting, and radioactive sources from equipment must be properly transferred or disposed. The licensee is responsible for the costs of disposal. A final contamination survey must be performed.

  2. Biological Waste Materials
    • Place all sharps (syringes, Pasteur pipettes, serological pipettes, razor blades, etc.) in a sharps container and request a collection on the EHS website.
    • Dispose of all solid media and supplies in the laboratory as red bag waste.
    • Dispose of all other potentially biohazardous waste from the laboratory in red bags as red bag waste.
    • Decontaminate all liquid media by autoclaving or by treating for 30 minutes with bleach solution (final concentration to be 10%) before drain disposal.

    • Decontaminate all work surfaces using freshly prepared 10% bleach solution or 70% alcohol.

  3. Biological Safety Cabinets (BSC)
    • Remove all of the contents.
    • Disconnect tissue culture media vacuum flask.
    • Decontaminate all accessible surfaces with an appropriate disinfectant.
    • Decontaminate the BSC by a certified contractor, if a BSC is being relocated to a location outside of the building.
    • Re-certify the BSC using a certified contractor when a BSC is relocated.

    • If the BSC is not being moved and repair work will not open the contaminated inner space, a surface decontamination with an appropriate disinfectant is sufficient.

  4. Internal Relocation of Chemicals
    Lab personnel are allowed to transport chemicals from their current laboratory to the new laboratory, if the labs are in the same building (e.g., no transporting on sidewalks and across streets). Lab personnel must contact EHS to discuss transportation procedures including cart usage, secondary containment, and proper incompatible chemical segregation. Upon relocation, the chemical inventory for the laboratory must be updated. If the lab does not wish to move the chemicals, the lab can utilize the procedure for “External Relocation of Chemicals”. The lab is responsible for the costs of the outside contractor.

  5. External Relocation of Chemicals
    Chemical moves to laboratories in external locations / outside buildings must be transported by a U.S. Department of Transportation approved hazardous material hauler. EHS has agreements with vendors to provide this service. However, all related chemical move costs are the responsibility of the laboratory. The vendor will prepare all paperwork necessary for the chemical move. In order to utilize these services, lab personnel are required to:
    • Remove all laboratory chemicals from shelves, cabinets, etc., which require moving and place them in a central location. Label the area “Chemicals to be moved”.

    • Upon relocation, the chemical inventory for the laboratory must be updated.

  6. Chemical Waste Disposal
    All chemical waste must be managed in accordance with the WCMC Waste Disposal Procedures. At a minimum the following procedures must be used:
    • Keep an appropriate hazardous waste label on all chemical waste containers. Hazardous waste labels are available free-of-charge by contacting EHS.
    • Keep all chemical waste in an appropriate container (screw type lid) and closed at all times.
    • Keep an area of the laboratory or other points of waste generation designated for chemical waste only and label utilizing Chemical Waste Satellite Accumulation Area poster available by contacting EHS.
    • Complete the Chemical Waste Collection Request Form on the EHS website.

    • For disposal of various aqueous buffers and empty containers please refer to the WCMC Waste Disposal Procedures – Drain and Trash Disposal of Chemicals.

  7. Disposal of Compressed Gas Cylinders
    Remove regulators and replace the valve stem cap. Return gas cylinders to the supplying vendor. Contact EHS for non-returnable cylinders.

  8. Relocating Compressed Gas Cylinders (including Liquid Nitrogen Cylinders)
    When laboratory relocations require crossing a public road (example: from 1300 to the S building), compressed gas cylinders (including Liquid Nitrogen Cylinders) must be transferred by the supplying vendor. Please call the appropriate vendor prior to relocating to arrange the move.

  9. Liquid Nitrogen-lined Freezers
    The vendors supplying liquid nitrogen recommend that liquid nitrogen-lined freezers be drained to a minimum level (to sustain freezing of cells) prior to relocating. Liquid nitrogen freezers are moved by the moving company and should be scheduled for refill as soon as possible at the new location by the vendor.

  10. Laboratory Equipment Relocation or Disposal
    The following procedures must be completed before laboratory equipment will be cleared:

    • Remove all contents from laboratory equipment, e.g. chemicals, media. and glassware.

    • Remove all bench coat and disposable liners/covers from equipment and dispose in red bag waste.
    • Decontaminate all surfaces of contamination prone equipment, e.g., refrigerators, freezers, incubators, water baths, biological safety cabinets and centrifuges, with an appropriate disinfectant. Contact EHS for assistance.

    • Freezers which have been used for the storage of biological materials must be unplugged and defrosted.

    • Incubators and water baths must be drained of all standing water, including water inside the jacket.

  11. Electronics Recycling
    All electronics (central processing units, monitors, keyboards, printers, televisions, and scanners) must be separated from general trash and placed into a designated area for collection by Engineering and Maintenance (212-746-2288) or http://maintenanceexpress.med.cornell.edu). The designated area must be in an area under the direct control of the generator (no hallway storage). All electronics must be clearly labeled with a dated, removable sign “to be recycled.” Environmental Health and Safety will pay for the recycling cost. Departments must cover the Engineering and Maintenance charge to move the equipment to the storage facility.

  12. General Laboratory Cleanup
    All laboratory areas must be thoroughly cleaned to assure removal of all hazardous residues. All surfaces where hazardous chemicals have been used or stored must be washed with detergent and water. This includes bench tops, cabinets, drawers, floors, and etc. For furniture and other items that are to be removed from the laboratory, thoroughly decontaminate accessible surfaces to prevent harm to movers.
    • Remove all bench coat and disposable liners/covers from work surfaces and dispose in red bag waste.
    • Empty and properly dispose of material from all drawers, cabinets, and fume hoods.
    • Properly clean laboratory bench tops, cabinets, drawers, floors and fume hood surfaces (preferably with soap and water)