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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.