The purpose of this document is to outline the laboratory access protocols for School of Science facilities with the intent of enhancing the safety and security of laboratories.
- Faculty members within each discipline covered under these protocols will identify laboratories to be included in the protocols.
- Signs will be developed and posted outside laboratories. The signs will include potential hazards, emergency contact information, and access protocols.
- Protocols on all signs will indicate the primary faculty member and staff member responsible for the laboratory. Office staff will identify this individual. Access to laboratories will be coordinated through the contact and the contact will be responsible for contacting the appropriate person(s) for each request for access.
- Maintenance staff should also coordinate scheduled and routine maintenance through the contact. Maintenance and/or housekeeping staff should provide the contact with a routine custodial schedule, which should include the collection of waste and glass, refilling of soap and paper towel dispensers, erasing chalkboards, and sweeping floors. Any other cleaning, including bench top and floor waxing, should be coordinated through the contact. Non-routine cleaning and/or maintenance should be handled via a work order initiated by the faculty members and requested by the contact. Faculty members will make every effort to remove items from surfaces to be cleaned. Maintenance and/or housekeeping staff should not attempt to move or remove any items such as chemicals, instrumentation and equipment, supplies, and computers.
- Maintenance should make every effort to coordinate work completed by outside vendors through the contact. Faculty and staff members realize that this is not always possible, such as unannounced visits to inspect smoke alarms, etc.
- IT staff should coordinate laboratory access through the contact, including work contracted to outside vendors.
- In the case of an emergency, maintenance or other staff should call the emergency contact on the sign posted outside the affected laboratory as soon as possible after an event to alert faculty and/or staff members of any immediate dangers or concerns.
December 10, 2009
Revised August 6, 2015
Revised January 30, 2025