Laboratory Clearance Procedures


Purpose:

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that chemicals are handled in accordance with regulatory requirements in the event that a laboratory is moved to a new location, laboratory responsibilities are transferred to another Principal Investigator, or a laboratory closed permanently at Augusta University (Augusta University).

Procedures:

  1. When the responsibility for a laboratory or chemicals are transferred from one principal investigator to another, a Laboratory Clearance/Transfer Form  must be completed and returned to the Chemical Safety Office. A list of the chemicals being transferred are to be attached to the transfer form. Chemicals not accepted in the transfer are to be processed and labeled for collection and disposal in accordance with the Augusta University Hazardous Waste Disposal Procedures.
  2. When a laboratory or chemicals are being moved to a new location, a Laboratory Clearance/Transfer Form  must be completed and returned to the Chemical Safety Office. Chemicals not moved to the new location are to be processed and labeled for collection and disposal in accordance with Augusta University Hazardous Waste Disposal Procedures.
  3. When a laboratory is to be permanently closed for any reason, a Laboratory Clearance/Transfer Form  must be completed and returned to the Chemical Safety Office. Chemicals not accepted in the transfer are to be Processed and labeled for collection and disposal in accordance with the Augusta University Hazardous Waste Disposal Procedures.

Responsibilities:

A. Principal Investigator Responsibilities:

  • Notify the Department Manager of departure date (laboratory relocation, retirement, resignation, transfer of responsibility, etc.) using the appropriate Chemical Safety for obtained from the Department Manager.
  • Notify Department Manager that there are chemicals which may be useful to other departmental researchers.
  • Insure all chemical containers are properly labeled (see the Chemical Safety Guide).
  • Ensure that all chemicals that are to be wasted are processed through the Chemical Inventory Database, Waste Pickup, and labeled with a Hazardous Waste Label as required.
  • Ensure that a Chemical Safety Clearance Form and/or Laboratory/Chemical Transfer forms are completed and turned in to the Chemical Safety Office.
  • Coordinate with the Chemical Safety Office for disposal of all chemicals remaining in the laboratory and for final inspection of the laboratory after the laboratory move is completed or when a lab is permanently closed.
  • A closed laboratory must be cleared through the Chemical Safety Office before a Principal Investigator can clear campus.

B. Departmental Manager Responsibilities:

  • Ensure that the Chemical Safety Clearance procedures are followed when a lab in their department is relocating and/or when a Principal Researcher is closing his laboratory/laboratories as a result of retirement, leaving the institution, or no longer doing research, and when the responsibility for a laboratory is transferred from PI to another.
  • Notify other department members when useable chemicals are available from a closing laboratory or a departing researcher's laboratory.
  • Notify the Chemical Safety Office when laboratories within their department relocate/move, will be closing, or when responsibilities for a laboratory transfer to a new person.
  • Ensure that hazardous waste collection and disposal procedures are followed as required in Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal Procedures.
  • Ensure that all refrigerators, freezers, storage units, etc. have been cleared through EHS prior to departure of member and/or prior to reuse or surplus, or reoccupation of the laboratory.
  • Ensure that departing member's Chemical Safety Clearance Form has been signed by EHS prior to commencement of exiting procedures.

C. Chemical Safety Office Responsibilities:

  • Inspect all chemical containers, refrigerators, freezers, storage cabinets, etc. prior to closing of the laboratory, before the laboratory member has departed.
  • Collect for disposal all tagged chemicals following Chemical Waste Disposal Procedures SOP003.
  • Tag all freezers, refrigerators or storage units as empty and decontaminated, cleared for reuse, or surplus prior to closing of the laboratory.
  • Sign departing member's Chemical Safety Clearance Form.
  • Adjust Chemical Tracking System Database reflect the transfer of chemicals/laboratories to other principal investigators.

D. Personnel Division Responsibilities

  • Ensure that all principal investigators are cleared through Environmental Health and Safety Division prior to exit from Augusta University.