The big day has arrived. You are packed and ready to move into your new laboratory. But wait – what happens to your old laboratory after you've left? Most laboratory managers think that you just pack up and leave, but what about the old chemicals and containers that are left behind? Every facility should have a laboratory decommissioning policy to cover just such an occasion. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but it should, at a minimum, cover the following:

Prior to Moving:

	Pull in all necessary parties. Depending on the type of laboratory you're decommissioning, this should include Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), your legal support and any applicable local, state or federal agencies that govern the licensing for your laboratory.
	As you coordinate the move with each group, be sure to inform them not only of your intended move date but also of all hazards (chemicals, sharps, etc.) that will be left behind.
	If you have radioactive waste, notify the Radiation Safety department for proper disposal of radioactive waste in accordance with your license. This may require the transfer or pickup of the radioactive materials.
	Notify Custodial Services of the date you will vacate the premises so they can plan for a cleanup crew to be available.
	Develop a safety status form to apprise all parties of what has and has not been completed in the decommissioning process. This should be placed on the door of the laboratory once it has been vacated so that employees will be informed of the decommissioning activities.

The Day of the Move:

	Properly dispose of all remaining sharps and arrange waste pickup.
	Check for radiation as you empty all refrigerators and freezers. Should contamination be found, contact your Radiation Safety department to determine proper cleaning procedures. Be sure to remove all labels and stickers that indicate radioactive material once cleaning is completed.
	Wipe down all surfaces with the disinfectants determined by the specific requirements of your laboratory.
	Inventory all chemicals left behind, segregate them according to their various properties (reactive, corrosive, flammable, etc.) and note on the inventory any special considerations.

After the Move:

	Conduct a final radiation survey of the laboratory. Decontaminate areas to assure compliance with the accepted levels indicated by your Radiation Safety department.
	Arrange a final inspection with all necessary parties.
	After the laboratory has moved and final inspections have occurred, the EH&S office will notify Custodial Services that the laboratory area has been certified safe by all parties on the safety status form.
	After cleaning is completed, the laboratory is ready for occupancy by another group.

It is important to know the licensing and regulatory requirements for your laboratory and to work with all the applicable agencies. By working with your EH&S group, you should be able to safely decommission your laboratory in a timely and efficient manner.

Questions about decommissioning, or closing down, a particular laboratory site are common. Although precise requirements vary by location, Terry Jo Gile offers the following insights on the subject

Terry Jo Gile, MT(ASCP) MA Ed, has been a safety consultant for the health-care industry for over 13 years. She is a member of the management team at Barnes-Jewish Hospital Department of Laboratories, in St. Louis, Missouri, and serves as the Safety Officer as well as a laboratory safety consultant to the BJC Health System. In addition, she also works with health-care organizations and association leaders to develop unique, motivational safety training that decreases workers' compensation costs.

She is the author of seven books covering various safety topics as well as nine safety training programs on CD-ROM. She is Chair of the Safety Examination Committee of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) and is a past board member of the Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA). She is a health-care safety adviser for fob.com.