Closing a Laboratory or Research Area at Bowdoin

Properly vacating a lab or research space involves a few important steps. Closing a lab takes time, please plan ahead and start this process a few weeks before your departure date.

Closing Process Overview

1. Departing Laboratory PI’s should schedule a meeting to tour your labspace with the Director of Environmental Health and Safety as well as a meeting with the Laboratory Safety Manager and Chemical Hygiene Officer to discuss hazards, disposal, decontamination, or relocation of hazardous materials and/or equipment.

2. Departing PI’s must notify the Radiation Safety Committee or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee where applicable.

3. Departing PI’s should meet with the Associate Dean for Academic Administration and/or your department chairperson to discuss any facilities – related work that will be required in your labspace

Lab Closing Checklist

·       Contact Charly Wojtysiak, EH&S, cwojtysi@bowdoin.edu and Denny Tesfa, Office of Laboratory Safety, dtesfaga@bowdoin.edu to schedule a tour of your existing lab space.

·       Contact Mike Ranen, Associate Dean for Academic Administration, mranen@bowdoin.edu or your Department Chairperson to discuss laboratory equipment removal.

·       Verify that your research did not involve the use of any radioactive materials, x-ray generating devices, lasers, etc. These materials are strictly inventoried and will need to be addressed.  If you have ANY of these materials or equipment visit the Office of Laboratory Safety website Radiation Safety page.

·       Verify that your research did not involve the use of any animals. If you did use animals visit the Office of Laboratory Safety website Animal Care and Use page.