Moving a research laboratory is a stressful and involved process. Each phase of the move requires due diligence. Effective planning allows the researcher and the university to undergo the process smoothly and safely. This document provides guidance to the user regarding responsibilities, expectations and procedures involved in a move at the Faculty of Science.
| Specialist | Phone number | |
|---|---|---|
| Radiation Compliance Specialist | [email protected] | 613-562-5800 ext. 3057 |
| Laser and X-ray Compliance Specialist | [email protected] | 613-562-5800 ext. 2000 |
| Biosafety Compliance Specialist | [email protected] | 613-562-5800 ext. 3153 |
While the Principle Investigator (PI) may be responsible for organizing much of the move, there are responsibilities that fall to other personnel at the Faculty of Science. Outlined below are the responsibilities attributed to those involved in the move:
Before a move begins, there must be notification of the move. This notification is a signed document from either the Dean and/or Chief Administrative Officer detailing the move and giving an estimated date of departure.
When researchers enter or exit the University of Ottawa, their laboratory should be ready for research. The completion of this goal can be at times challenging due to municipal, provincial and federal laws as well as the university’s own expectations. A great resource for many of the regulations can be found in Appendix A of the Guidelines for Environmental Protection Measures at Chemical and Waste Storage Facilities (PDF, 635 KB) from the Ministry of the Environment.
Whether a researcher is moving to a laboratory down the street or down the hall, the chemicals should be transported in a safe and secure manner. Transport Canada has various documents pertaining to the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG). Before any major move begins, researchers should be educated in the various aspects of the TDG Act and TDG Regulations. This includes but is not limited to: chemical labelling, chemical segregation, packaging regulations and transport of goods outside of the building.
Consult the HSR team before doing any major chemical movement; they can give guidance on the proper packaging, handling and transport of dangerous goods.
There are various types of fume hoods found at the University of Ottawa and many have an analytical test to confirm their cleanliness. It is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure that the fume hoods have been properly cleaned. If the fume hood requires decommissioning, contact the HSR team.
While it can be difficult to completely clean a fume hood, the expectation at the Faculty of Science is that fume hoods and flammable cabinets are visually clean and free of contaminants. Regular chemical fume hoods and cabinets may be cleaned by anyone in the research group. For any other type of fume hood (those containing biohazards, HF, radioactive material, heavy metals etc.), contact the required specialist at the ORM well in advance to coordinate contaminant testing and suggestions for means of decontamination.
Employees at the University of Ottawa have the right to know, to participate and to refuse dangerous work under the Canada Labour Code. As such, researchers are responsible for informing the facilities staff of the possible dangers that arise from the laboratory surfaces. It is expected that once the laboratory has been cleared of all chemicals, the research staff will do a cleaning of all the surfaces. Following this cleaning, a member of the facilities will be responsible for doing one final wipe down of all the surfaces and all the floors once the laboratory has been completely vacated and made safe for the staff.
Effective planning can minimize the error and time delays in a lab move. To try and make the transition as painless as possible, print out the Lab Decommissioning Pre-Checklist to use as a guide to ensure you`ve completed all the required aspects of moving.
The first order of business is to confirm that the laboratory is being moved or decommissioned. The only people that can confirm this movement are the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) or the Dean of the Faculty of Science. If you have not already received an official Lab Decommissioning Request from the Dean, contact them immediately.
Once a date of movement has been established by the Dean or CAO, it’s time to start planning a schedule. The most important date on the timeline will be that of the last day of research. The Faculty of Science is here to help the process along but without this date set, no planning can begin. The next steps will be planning the equipment, hazardous substances and support material moves.
The goal is to have as little research time lost as possible and movement of equipment is often the linchpin. Equipment may require many steps and permits to ensure its proper dismantling and reassembly. Priority should be given to move equipment that is most essential for research first. It’s best to begin with a general inventory of all the equipment. This may include fridges, freezers and flammables cabinets. For efficient movement of equipment, inform the FMT as soon as possible about the equipment to be moved, the equipment left behind and the equipment requiring decommissioning. For equipment moves, an Equipment Decommissioning Form (PDF, 102 KB) must be filled out.
Consideration must be made for the equipment left behind as well. Specialty fume hood and work surfaces used for radiation or biohazardous research will need decontamination. For any biological or radioactive decontamination, contact the required specialist at the ORM.
The most dangerous part of a laboratory move/decommissioning is the movement of chemical, biological and radioactive substances. Learning safe and effective chemical inventory, waste management, chemical segregation, packaging, labelling and transport methods are key to a successful move. In preparation for a lab move/decommissioning, contact the HSR team to see when the next TDG training is available. Also, become familiar with your chemicals through printing your chemical inventory from Vertére, TDG Regulations, General Packing Guidelines and Chemical Compatibility Chart as they will be your guides to chemical movements.
While some of the Faculty staff may be aware of the move/decommissioning, most of the University will not be. In all cases of moving of dangerous equipment or goods, it’s suggested that Protection is made aware. Protection officers are first-aid certified and will be able to cordon an area if there is an accident. Their non-emergency number is extension 5499. In case of emergency, they can be contacted at extension 5411
| Days | Items |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Notification of a laboratory move/decommissioning |
| Day 7 | Pre-move checklist submitted Setting a Research Termination Date |
| Day 14 | Termination of Research End of permits/licenses |
| Day 14 to 21 | Prepare major equipment for the move |
| Day 21 | Major equipment Move |
| Day 21 to 28 | Segregate and pack/dispose of chemicals |
| Day 28 | Major chemical Move |
| Day 30 | Lab clean-up |
With the planning stage now complete, it’s time to actually move. The Pre-Move Checklist (PDF, 172 KB) will continue to be a good guide to ensure that each task is complete but the more detailed Checklist for Laboratory Close-out/Decommissioning and Equipment Decommissioning Form (PDF, 53 KB) will be the required form to complete the move.
To avoid moving unnecessary dangerous goods, take an inventory of the chemicals currently contained within the laboratory. The university chemical inventory system (Vertére) or an internal inventory can be used to confirm the chemicals currently in the laboratory. Any chemicals that are past their due date or no longer useful can be separated and disposed. For any unidentifiable dangerous goods or goods whose risks are unknown, contact the HSR team so that they may consult on the matter. Chemical waste can be disposed of by submitting a Chemical Waste Pickup Request form.
Once the laboratory’s chemical library has been assessed and the unwanted chemicals disposed of properly, it’s time to start segregating chemicals by their class (NOT alphabetically) and packaging them appropriately. The guidelines for this endeavor can be found in the TDG Regulations and the HSR team are more than willing to come into the laboratory to train and ensure that the regulations are being followed. The General Packing Guidelines and Chemical Compatibility Chart (PDF, 1.7 MB) are available to assist in packing chemicals. Note: The General Packing Guidelines and Chemical Compatibility Chart are not exhaustive. As a result, it is important for Laboratory personnel to research the properties of the chemicals they are packaging.
Once all the dangerous goods are properly packed and ready to be shipped, the next question is where the dangerous goods are going. The TDG Regulations are concerned with whether the dangerous goods are travelling with or without traversing public streets. The Faculty of Science splits the transport of dangerous goods into the following scenarios:
The University of Ottawa has a variety of transport carts and vehicles available to assist in the move. For moves within the university, carts with lips are required. The transport of dangerous goods should always be done while wearing the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PDF, 969 KB). Transport in a car or van requires that the car follows the TDG regulations and the driver had a TDG certification.
To ensure compliance with environmental legislation, segregation of waste is crucial. There are various types of waste that must go through different streams. If it is an unknown or if the disposal methods are unknown, contact the HSR team for an assessment.
Chemical waste is dealt with through the HSR team. For daily chemical waste removal or minimal amounts of chemicals, the Chemical Waste Pickup Request form can be sent to the HSR team. For larger amounts of chemicals, please contact the HSR team for a lab pack. For any biological or radioactive waste, contact the required specialist at the ORM.
Non-chemical waste will be dealt with by Facilities (PRS). Any time non-hazardous waste is produced in a lab (including broken glass in corrugated fiberboard box) anyone can call Facilities at 613-562-5000 to get the waste removed. (Note that this service may take up to 10 business days.)
Equipment waste will also be dealt with by the FMT. For some equipment (such as compressors, fridges and freezers) there may be a few steps before its safe disposal so the sooner FMT is aware of the equipment requiring attention, the sooner the move/disposal can be complete.
Effective movement of equipment is enhanced with communication. While a verbal conversation with a member for the Facilities team may seem sufficient, submission of Equipment Decommissioning Forms ensures that facilities are aware of all of the equipment. Remember that equipment most important for research should take priority when planning a lab move/decommissioning. For specialized equipment requiring permits or precision tuning, the ORM must also be informed of the moves.
Biosafety Compliance Specialist
Laser and X-ray Compliance Specialist
Radiation Compliance Specialist
Office equipment is also a crucial part of research. For moves within the University of Ottawa, FMT will be responsible for coordinating the move of furniture and may be able to supply bins for smaller items. They may also initiate the movement of computers, telephones and telephone numbers.
For telephones, internet and other office technology inquiries, contact Information Technology at 613-562-5000.
The expectation at the Faculty of Science is that fume hoods and flammable cabinets are visually clean and free of contaminants. Regular chemical fume hoods and cabinets can be cleaned using water and a cleaning detergent. For any other type of fume hood, both the HSR team and contact the required specialist at the ORM must be informed ahead of time.
Congratulations, you have successfully moved the laboratory. The final step to the process is to finish filling out the Checklist for laboratory close-out/decommissioning and having a member of either the HSR or Facilities team to confirm the status of the laboratory. With this final signature, the process is complete and the form can be submitted to the HSR team.
