Lab Closeout Guidance

It is the laboratory's responsibility to properly close out their lab space and manage hazardous materials.

Please follow these guidelines to ensure you properly close your lab before you leave the University.

Some steps require significant lead time. For more detailed guidance on proper closure and decommissioning of laboratories or other technical areas refer to the UCD Laboratory Closeout Checklist.
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Lab Closeout Incentive Program

We're piloting an incentive program to promote the timely decommissioning of laboratories before a PI or Responsible Person vacates the space. Lab closeout coordinators are eligible for a $50 gift card. 

>> Learn more about the 3 easy steps to participate

 

Annual Laboratory Safety Review

Requirement before you vacate the lab

Before the lab can be removed from the annual lab safety review program or the Laboratory Hazard Assessment (LHAT) can be archived, laboratory personnel and all hazardous materials must be either:

  1. Transferred to another Principal Investigator (PI)
  2. Removed from the laboratory

Please refer to the other sections of this Lab Closeout Guidance for instructions on how to transfer or dispose of hazardous materials in the lab.

I intend to transfer the lab group to another PI

Work with the Lab Safety Professional to transfer the group to a new PI. The PI accepting the laboratory group must update and certify the LHAT.

Contact

Lab Safety Review: labsafetyreview@ucdavis.edu

Chemicals

Requirement before you vacate the lab

All chemicals must be either transferred or deleted from the chemical inventory system and your account closed out.
All chemicals must be properly disposed of through WASTe, or transferred to another PI's chemical inventory

I intend to transfer chemical containers to another PI.
The chemical container must be transferred to another PI through UC Chemicals. A step-by-step guide is included on the Chemical Inventory System page.

I do not intend to transfer chemical containers. What do I do with them?
Each chemical must be tagged with a WASTe label. A request for pick-up should be initiated via the WASTe website. Pick-up normally takes up to 2 weeks.

I intend to take the chemical containers with me.
The packaging and shipping requirements of chemicals will depend on a number of factors including hazards and amount. You will need to contact the Chemical Hygiene Office with a names and sizes of the chemicals you intend to transfer at least 2 months in advance.

Contact

Biological Materials (BUA)

Requirement before you vacate the lab - only if NOT intending to take material with you
 
The BUA covering biological materials must be terminated.
A PI's BUA may only be terminated after all materials have been transferred to another PI or inactivated.
 
I intend to transfer biological material to another PI.
If the PI receiving the biological material does not already have approval to use or store it, the process to get that approval may take 1 full month.

I do not intend to transfer biological materials. What do I do with them?
All biological materials must be inactivated. Depending on the source of the material, this is normally achieved by autoclaving, or through the medical waste stream.

I intend to take the biological material with me. Contact the new institution's Biosafety Office to initiate a new BUA. You will need to have that in place before the work at the new facility occurs.
 
Contact
Biosafety Office at biosafety@ucdavis.edu

Radiation (RUA)

Requirement before you vacate the lab - only if NOT intending to take material with you
The RUA covering regulated materials must be terminated. All materials must be properly disposed of, or transferred to another PI's RUA. Swipe tests of the areas where radioisotopes have been used and stored must be negative for contamination. Please note that multiple rounds of swipe testing may be necessary if contamination is found and decontamination is necessary. All dosimeters must be returned to EH&S.
 
I intend to transfer regulated material to another PI.
If the PI receiving the regulated material does not already have approval to use or store it, then a new RUA or an amendment will need to be submitted. This process may take one full month.

I do not intend to transfer regulated materials. What do I do with them?
All inventory must be properly disposed of via WASTe. The pick-up of the radioisotope normally takes up to 2 weeks. The PI will need to contact his/her designated EH&S Laboratory Safety Professional (LSP) to schedule a radiation close-out swipe test in order to ensure that there is no residual contamination in the space. There is approximately 1 week turn-around to receive swipe test results each time one is performed. The results of these tests take about a week to come back. If there is no contamination the LSP will remove the labeling or signage. If contamination is found, you will work with the LSP to create a plan for mitigation. Once the clean-up is finished, the LSP will perform another round of swipe tests until all swipes are free from contamination.  You will also need to return all personal dosimetry monitoring devices (rings, badges, etc) to EH&S.

I intend to take the regulated material with me. The lab would need to notify our department to discuss their options.  The material will probably need to be shipped out because most labs on campus are not allowed to transport radioactive material over public roads with an automobile.  EH&S would need to ship it for them.   If we ended up shipping material for them we would ask for the following information:

• Isotope(s)
• Activity of each isotope
• Chemical form
• Physical form (solid, liquid, gas)
• Content description
• Shipping address
• Receiver contact information (name and phone number)

Researchers should be aware of the requirements at the new institution as well.  It is possible that the new institution won’t receive anything until the researcher has moved-in and set up a RUA-equivalent. We recommend 10 business days notice for shipping radioactive material.  It varies because certain material is very simple to ship, but other material can require extensive preparation (e.g. special containers/labels).  We recommend even more notice if the material is going to a different country.  Any radioactive material being shipped out the country would first need the okay from UC Davis’s Export Control (exportshipping@ucdavis.ed).  We would require a copy of the receiving institution’s RAM License (to prove that they can receive the radioactive material).  If the RAM License does not cover the radioactive material we are shipping, we wouldn’t be able to send it.  There would also need to be someone at the receiving institution to actually receive the material.

Contact
Radiation Safety Office researchsafety@ucdavis.edu

Animals (IACUC)

Requirement before you vacate the lab - only if NOT intending to take material with you
All IACUC protocols must be terminated. Animals must either be transferred to another PI's IACUC protocol, to an institutional holding protocol, or euthanized.

I intend to transfer regulated material to another PI.
If the PI receiving the animals already has an IACUC protocol covering the specfic species/strain, then he/she must submit an Animal Transfer request through the Animal Tracking System (ATS). While this could theoretically be done in a single day, this should be initiated a week prior to implementation.  If a new IACUC protocol or amendment is needed, then this process may take up to 2 months. Contact IACUC to start this process.

I do not intend to transfer regulated materials. What do I do with them?
The PI must contact the Attending Veterinarian (AV) to determine whether UCD will accept animals onto a holding protocol. The AV should be notified 2 weeks prior to implementation.

I intend to take the regulated material with me.
The PI will need to complete and submit an Import-Export form (paper). The receiving institution must be notified of the intent to transfer, and may require/request health certificates for the affected animals.  If this is the case, then this process could take up to one month. 

Contact

Controlled Substances (CS)

Requirement before you vacate the lab - only if NOT intending to take material with you
The PI's controlled substance inventory will need to be zero'ed out in the online controlled substance usage log

I intend to transfer regulated material to another PI.
The CS may be transferred to another authorized custodian, but approval must be obtained from the Controlled Substance Program Administrator (CSPA) before this can occur. The transfer may take up to 3 weeks, assuming the recipient of the materials is a registered user.

I do not intend to transfer regulated materials. What do I do with them?
The PI will need to use the Controlled Substance Usage Log to request disposal of their controlled substance. Pick-ups can normally be scheduled within one week.

I intend to take the regulated material with me.
Contact the CSPA to update your account and determine what would be needed to transfer the material to another institution. Timeline varies widely, so it is recommended that the PI notify the CSPA as soon as possible.

Contact
cs-info@ucdavis.edu