When vacating lab space, it is necessary to determine the level of decontamination or decommissioning necessary far in advance of the exit date. Of course there are many details involved in decontaminating a lab space, but the overall level required is the first question to be answered.
When a full decommissioning is conducted, a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) is involved in the process. The CIH develops a sampling plan and decontamination protocol based on a review of the hazardous materials used and hazardous processes utilized in the laboratories. The sampling results are reviewed by the CIH, and a certified report summarizing the details of the decommissioning is written. When a decontamination is conducted, a review of the hazardous materials used and hazardous processes utilized in the laboratories is still conducted and a decontamination procedure is developed. The laboratory spaces are then physically decontaminated following the appropriate disinfection and decontamination procedures based on the hazards.
Lease requirements often stipulate the level of decontamination or decommissioning necessary upon exiting a space, but some companies opt to complete a full decommissioning even when lease conditions do not require it. Taking the step to complete a full decommissioning with sampling and a certified report provides companies with concrete evidence that the laboratory spaces were clean when the premises were vacated.