Biosafety Manual
Safety guidance, policies, and procedures for work with biological materials
Lab Move-in and Move-out
Summary
How to coordinate moving into and setting up labs, moving out of labs, lab renovations, closing out labs, and decontaminating labs.
Who is this for?
- Building and operations management.
- Lab and research staff.
Lab move-in and setup
Schools and departments can follow EHS general guidelines and lab-specific recommendations to:
- Onboard new Principal Investigators (PI).
- Help PIs and researchers learn about setting up and working in a new Harvard lab space.
Lab move-out and renovation
This information applies if you are moving out of your current lab because it is either:
- Being renovated.
- Relocating to another lab space in an adjoining building.
- Relocating to another lab space within Harvard.
- Departing from Harvard.
All lab move-outs and renovations must follow this process:
- Review lab move-out responsibilities.
- Review and follow lab move-out planning and timeline.
- Complete a lab move-out and renovation form.
- Complete a lab move-out and renovation approval form and display the signed form at the main entrance of your lab before starting any construction or renovation work.
Lab move-out responsibilities
Department coordinators are the primary contacts working with department administrators on upcoming lab-related construction projects, renovations, and other related building and lab staff changes.
They are responsible for:
- Providing these move-out guidelines to PIs and lab move coordinators.
- Reviewing the completeness of the move-out process.
- Confirming approval of the lab move-out and renovation form.
- Informing the lab move coordinator and EHS of any department-specific moving requirements and answering department-specific questions.
- Posting the completed lab move-out and renovation approval form on the main lab entrance.
Lab move coordinators are either lab staff or hired by the lab’s school or department.
They are responsible for:
- Notifying the department administrator and coordinator of the planned move.
- Following the lab move-out or renovation timeline and lab move-out and renovation form requirements to ensure the lab is empty by the end of the move.
- Coordinating appropriate support with EHS throughout the move.
- Following any additional guidance or direction from EHS or the department administrator, department coordinator, or PI.
PIs are principally responsible for safety and environmental health in the lab.
They are responsible for:
- Identifying hazards associated with work in the lab.
- Properly registering and terminating research.
- Reinforcing safety practices.
- Ensuring the lab follows regulations and safety practices.
- Commissioning and decommissioning labs, which may include designating a lab move coordinator.
Lab move-out planning and timeline
Successful lab moves require cooperation and effective communication between EHS, lab staff, waste disposal vendors, department administrators and coordinators, and lab, move, and space coordinators.
Follow these move-out guidelines to help minimize:
- Incidents like chemical spills, hazardous exposures, and regulatory violations.
- Disposal fees from discovering chemical waste.
- Delays in contractor activities or re-occupancy.
The lab clean-out process requires at least three months of lead time.
You should remove all research materials by the end of your lab clean-out process, including biological, radiological, and hazardous chemical raw materials and waste.
EHS works with department coordinators and facility managers to identify and remediate any remaining potential hazards, such as asbestos-containing materials, sink neutralization chip tanks, and residual contamination in exhaust systems and ductwork.
PI or lab move coordinator:
- Notify the department administrator and coordinator of the upcoming move.
- Notify your Lab Safety Advisor (LSA) of the upcoming move and any radioactive or biological materials you will move.
Certain permits, shipping requirements, material destruction or transfer requests may take several months to prepare.
Department coordinator:
- Meet with the lab move coordinator and your LSA.
- Discuss how to remove hazardous chemical waste that may be generated during the move with your LSA.
- Provide the lab move coordinator with these lab move-out guidelines.
Lab move coordinator:
- Ensure your lab follows lab move-out and renovation form requirements.
Lab move coordinator:
- Continue the lab clean-out following lab move-out and renovation form requirements to thoroughly remove hazardous raw materials and waste.
- Perform any specialized lab-specific clean-out activities determined by either or both the department coordinator or EHS.
- Stop all major experiments.
EHS:
- Help the lab coordinate removing all potentially hazardous chemical waste following applicable regulations.
- Retain possession of regulatory-mandated paperwork and maintain files for each clean-out, including hazardous waste manifests, hazardous waste profiles, and land disposal restriction forms.
Waste service vendors:
- Submit an itemized invoice for the lab clean-out directly to the school, department, or lab (depending on the scope of the move-out).
Department coordinator:
- Ensure that the lab move-out and renovation approval form is signed and posted on the main entrance to lab affected by the move or renovation. Keep a copy of the form until the renovation is complete.
- Ensure facility staff lock all entrances into the lab, stopping people from entering until further notice. This may not be possible in shared spaces.
- If the lab space will be renovated, coordinate access to the lab with your project manager.
Lab close-out and decontamination
Departments and PIs should use EHS resources to manage lab close-out during:
- Changes in lab equipment, occupancy, or use involving chemical, biological, or radiological materials.
- Renovations.
EHS can help coordinate:
- Contaminated equipment maintenance.
- Decontamination and removing hazardous materials.
- Lab clean-outs.
Related resources
Find documents and online tools to manage lab setup, move-in, move-out, close-out, and decontamination.
Lab Equipment Decontamination Form
Form to decontaminate lab equipment
Lab Move-in Form
Form to review lab move-in safety requirements and resources
Lab Move-out and Renovation Approval Form
Form to request approval to move out of a lab for renovations
Lab Move-out and Renovation Form
Form to identify lab move-out or renovation safety requirements and resources
Lab Offboarding Safety Form
Form to certify lab safety during offboarding
Lab Safety Officer Orientation
Lab safety orientation for new Lab Safety Officers (LSO)
Lab Safety Orientation Form
Form to conduct new lab safety orientation training
New and Renovated Lab Survey Form
Form to submit safety information about proposed lab construction and renovations
EHS support
Contact lab_safety@harvard.edu or your Lab Safety Advisor (LSA) to learn more about lab setup, move-in, move-out, close-out, and decontamination, including:
- Culture decontamination.
- Potentially contaminated lab systems.