Last Revised: August 29, 2024
Revised 10/31/2023
INTRODUCTION
Whenever a laboratory is closing, moving to another institution, or vacating a space for a move within Penn, a NOTIFICATION OF LAB MOVE OR CLOSURE WEBFORM must be submitted as soon as possible by anyone with information about the lab move or closure. This notification will be distributed to the appropriate EHRS staff for follow-up. The PI and Lab Safety Coordinator may be contacted directly by EHRS staff and, if appropriate, they will receive a notice regarding a BioRAFT self-inspection requirement to prepare the space for the upcoming move/closure.
EHRS or facilities personnel may post a red lab clearance notice on the lab door to indicate that the space is not yet cleared for non-laboratory personnel.
Proper disposal of hazardous materials and equipment is required whenever a responsible individual leaves the University or transfers to a different laboratory. ("Responsible individual" can include, but is not limited to: faculty, staff, post-doctoral, and graduate students.) Plan the disposal of hazardous materials carefully. Hazardous materials such as chemicals, microorganisms, tissues, and radioactive materials can injure faculty, students, staff, contractors and visitors if handled inappropriately.
After all hazardous materials are removed from the lab, a lab clearance request may be submitted by the lab, a department or building administrator, or a project manager. EHRS will then confirm the condition of the lab and post a sign on the door to communicate that the lab is cleared for renovation.
GENERAL LABORATORY SPACE
- Empty all chemical fume hoods, drawers, storage cabinets, closets, cold rooms, flammable liquids cabinets, biosafety cabinets, refrigerators and freezers of all chemicals, biohazardous materials, radiological materials and equipment.
- Departing researchers must carefully inspect any shared facility in order to locate and appropriately dispose of their hazardous materials.
- Clean and decontaminate all surfaces where hazardous materials have been used.
- If your lab is renting lab coats through Cintas, contact Tom Best and Rich Kacprowicz to discuss any termination fees associated with your contract.
EQUIPMENT
- If moving biosafety cabinets, they must be decontaminated before moving and certified in the new space before use. Contact an approved 3rd party vendor to arrange for decontamination and certification services.
- Deface or cover hazard labels on equipment to be moved or discarded.
- When discarding laboratory equipment: remove capacitors, transformers, mercury switches, mercury thermometers, radioactive sources, chemicals and biohazards before disposal. Contact EHRS for disposal of hazardous materials.
- Computer & electronics recycling and disposal options.
- Battery Disposal
CHEMICALS
- Labs should notify the chemical inventory team (cheminv@ehrs.upenn.edu) prior to giving away containers to other labs. The chemical inventory team will provide guidance on how the involved labs can add/remove ChemTracker records, or they can complete the electronic transfer on the labs’ behalf. Dispose of unwanted containers following Penn's Laboratory Waste Guidelines.
- Contact EHRS for waste collection. Do not pour chemicals down drains or discard them in the trash.
- Label all chemical containers with the proper chemical name. Abbreviations, chemical formulas or structures are not acceptable. Close all containers securely.
- Notify your school's Facilities Management Building Administrator when laboratory clean-up is complete. Facilities Management will contact EHRS to arrange a close-out inspection.
- Contact the EHRS Chemical Inventory Team (cheminv@ehrs.upenn.edu) for assistance with editing your ChemTracker chemical inventory records. We can delete the records for discarded containers or update the records for containers that are being relocated.
GAS CYLINDERS
- Remove gas connections, replace cylinder caps, and return cylinders to suppliers.
- If cylinders are non-returnable, please contact EHRS.
SHARPS
- Dispose of infectious waste sharps: Autoclave sharps container and dispose through your school’s infectious waste stream.
- Chemical contaminated sharps: Segregate from other sharps into special containers and label "Chemical contaminated Sharps Waste-Do Not Autoclave". Discard without autoclaving.
- Reusable sharps disposal containers must be returned to Sharps Medical Waste Services (formerly Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services). Contact Sharps Medical Waste Services at agoulet@Sharpsmws.com and nmelendez@curtisbaymws.com to update your account or location or to close your account.
- If uncertain, contact an EHRS Biosafety Officer at 215-898-4453.
OTHER BIOHAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Animal and Human Tissue
- Liquid preservatives may be hazardous waste. Do not separate specimens from the preservative. Label the container with the name of the preservative (formalin, IPA/EtOH, etc.). Contact EHRS for waste collection.
- If human tissue is recognizable contact Dwayne Hallman, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, 215-898-8054, to arrange for its disposal. Place other human tissue specimens in a biohazard waste bag per University infectious waste procedures.
- Discard animal tissue by placing it in a biohazard waste bag per University infectious waste procedures.
- If tissue was stored in a refrigerator or freezer - defrost, clean and disinfect the refrigerator and freezer when emptied.
- Locate an appropriate person to take responsibility for retained samples.
- If appropriate tissue disposal is uncertain, contact an EHRS Biosafety Officer at 215-898-4453.
Microorganisms and Cultures
- Locate an appropriate person to take responsibility for retained samples
- Autoclave materials for disposal
- If the material cannot be decontaminated, contact an EHRS Biosafety Officer at 215-898-4453.
DISPOSAL OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES
- Controlled substances are regulated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Detailed information relating to controlled substances can be found online at www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov.
- Individual licensees are responsible for the disposal of controlled substances.
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
Amend your radioactive material license to add the new space and delete the old. Doing so, will initiate contact with the Radiation Safety group so we can assist you with moving out of your space.
Please refer to the Radiation Safety User Guide for a summary of requirements.
RADIATION PRODUCING EQUIPMENT
Contact Marc Felice of the Radiation Safety group or call 215-898-7187 so we can assist you with proper transfer the equipment and termination or amendment of the registration/license that covers the equipment.