Environmental Health and Safety

SDSU Biosafety Manual

San Diego State University
BIOHAZARD CONTROL PROGRAM

Part XVI:
Laboratory Clean Area

A. Good housekeeping in laboratories is essential to reducing risks and protecting the integrity of biological experiments. Routine housekeeping must be relied upon to provide work areas free of significant sources of contamination. Hence, stricter standards are expected of a BSL 3 laboratory than they are of a BSL 2 laboratory.

B. Laboratory personnel are responsible for cleaning laboratory benches, equipment and areas that require specialized technical knowledge. Additional laboratory housekeeping concerns include:

• Keep the laboratory neat and free of clutter. Surfaces should be clean and free of infrequently used chemicals, glassware and equipment. Access to sinks, eyewashes, emergency showers and fire extinguishers must not be blocked.
  
  
• Old and unused chemicals should be disposed of promptly and properly. Call EHS at 619-594-6778 for waste pick-up requests and other details.
  
  
• Provide a workplace that is free of physical hazards. Aisles and corridors should be free of tripping hazards. Attention should be paid to electrical safety, especially as it relates to the use of extension cords, proper grounding of equipment, avoidance of overloaded electrical circuits and avoidance of the creation of electrical hazards in wet areas.
  
  
• Remove unnecessary items on floors, under benches and in corners.
  
  
• Properly secure all compressed gas cylinders.
  
  
• Never use fumehoods for storage of chemicals or other materials.
  
  
• Dry sweeping and dusting may lead to the formation of aerosols. Where vacuuming is required, the use of vacuums equipped with HEPA filters is recommended in the biological research laboratory.