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Containment Talk 13: Laboratory Decommissioning in a Nutshell

Technical Report · November 2024

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.30868.10884

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Containment Talk

Basler & Hofmann AG

Date 01.11.2024
Bachweg 1
Author Felix Gmünder, Basler & Hofmann AG Postfach
Containment Talk articles discuss risk and safety issues in and around CH-8133 Esslingen
microbiological and biomedical laboratories (BSL-2, 3 and 4). T +41 44 387 15 22

www.baslerhofmann.com

Laboratory Decommissioning in a Nutshell

1. Introduction

This Containment Talk gives an overview of the main steps required for the
decommissioning of laboratories. Due to the case-specific differences, the
decommissioning of laboratories is always project-specific and risk-based. The
approach presented provides a general guideline for the development of a
decommissioning strategy and a decommissioning plan, as well as for their
implementation.

Decommissioning a laboratory is required for one of the following reasons:

_ Transfer to another user
_ Replacement of furniture, services, utilities
_ Preparation for inspections, maintenance, tests
_ Preparation for renovation, upgrading, or retrofitting
_ Partial or complete demolition

2. Decommissioning Approach

Decommissioning must be carried out without putting personnel or the environment

at risk [1], [2]. Laboratories can pose a variety of hazards, such as chemical,
radiological and biological hazards, as well as hazardous building materials. In
addition, laboratories may contain a variety of hazardous equipment, services and
utilities. Accordingly, the risk continuum can range from low to high. Laboratory
decommissioning is a planned process that may include the steps illustrated in
Figure 1, which are described in more detail in Section 3.
Containment Talk

Figure 1. Simplified decommissioning workflow, described in more detail in

section 3.

3. Decommissioning Roadmap and Workflow

3.1 Scope
_ Identify the laboratories that need to be decommissioned.
_ Identify all connected services and utilities: HVAC, water, gases, very large
equipment, etc.
_ Determine if any structural elements (civil) are affected.

3.2 Roles and Responsibilities

Identify and involve stakeholders as required:
_ Institution senior management
_ Researchers/occupants
_ Technical experts: environmental, chemical, radiological, safety, and health
_ Facility management: operations, maintenance
_ Designer/construction/demolition contractor
_ External oversight organisations: national and local regulators, corporate
organisations
_ Public, media
_ Decommissioning project manager
_ Project manager
_ Environmental, health, and safety protection
_ Previous occupants (laboratory history)

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3.3 Preparation and planning

In preparation for the actual decommissioning work, the following strategies and
plans should be developed:
_ Decommissioning flow chart
_ Historical and background information
_ Site investigation plan
_ Sampling and analysis plan (SAP) and environmental health and safety plan
(EH&S plan)
_ Hazard identification, risk assessments, and risk mitigation
_ Removal plan for usable and disposable mobile and immobile items
_ Training plan
_ Remediation plan: Inactivation, decontamination, cleaning, etc.
_ Waste management plan
_ Verification sampling and plan; completion criteria
_ Release the space to proceed

Regulatory involvement
Decommissioning is regulated by national and local regulations on the handling of
hazardous substances, the disposal and recycling of hazardous waste, and
environmental protection. It is therefore necessary to involve the relevant
authorities and regulatory agencies in a timely manner.

Historical and background information

A historical inventory and interviews with former laboratory occupants may be
necessary to clarify the following points:
_ Past project as-built documents (construction plans, methods of construction,
material specifications)
_ Public records of regulatory agencies
_ Existing permits/policies
_ Landlord/tenant records
_ Chemical, radiological, and biological hygiene plans
_ Hazard communication plans
_ Public/private agency inspections/visit records

3.4 Hazard identification, risk assessment, and mitigation plan

In the early exploration phase, work can continue in buildings and laboratories.
This step is to identify all hazards and assess the risk of safe decontamination and
removal of the hazards. This is done by:
_ Searching for and identifying laboratory hazards (in accordance with the site
investigation plan)
_ Searching for intrinsic hazards (hazardous construction materials)

Search and identification of laboratory hazards

Primary hazard identification and risk assessment and characterisation is an initial
evaluation of the space and identification of potential process contaminants by

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qualified individuals that may require further investigation. The historical and
background information may be a relevant prerequisite for this step.

Sample collection and analysis may also be necessary. Search and sampling may
be conducted during operations in compliance with applicable safety guidelines
(e.g. personal protective equipment, decontamination of sampling tools, avoidance
of cross-contamination). In general, non-laboratory hazard identification, and all
sampling and analysis according to the site investigation plan, will be outsourced to
qualified contractors.

Laboratory hazards may be chemical, radioactive or biological. In biological,

microbiological and biomedical laboratories up to biological safety level 2,
chemical, (and sometimes radiological) are generally more significant than
biological risks. In older laboratories, mercury may pose the greatest risk (broken
thermometers, mercury in floor tile joints). Volatile chemicals with high boiling
points may have accumulated in exhaust ducts, on walls and ceilings, floor tiles,
behind or under benches, shelves, cabinets and equipment. Allergens, microbial
toxins and radioactive isotopes may also have accumulated on critical surfaces
over years and decades.

Sampling and analysis plan (SAP) and health and safety plan (HASP)
The SAP includes information on the reasons for and objectives of the sampling,
details of the sample points and collection procedures, and details of the analysis
procedures and data reporting. In addition, the SAP includes the HASP)for on-site
sampling to ensure adequate controls for the safety of workers during the work.
The HASP must include safe working procedures and appropriate personal
protective equipment.

All hazards of concern are subjected to risk assessment:

_ Determine range and extent of the contamination. If in doubt, include these
hazards in the SAP and HASP.
_ Determine exposure, environment and waste disposal risks that may occur
during decommissioning.
_ Required precautionary measures to mitigate the risk during work.

If the initial information and search has not revealed any indications of possible
contaminations, a full risk assessment and characterisation is not necessary.
The purpose of the full risk assessment and characterisation is to assess the
potential risk of contaminants identified in the initial assessment.

The outcome of the hazard identification and risk assessment determines the next
steps. If the risks are low and have only a minor impact on the decommissioning
personnel and the environment, the decommissioning process can be very simple,
straightforward and fast. If, on the other hand, the risk assessments indicate a high
risk and high impact, the decommissioning process requires a considerable
amount of effort and time.

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Search and identification of intrinsic hazards

This step must include the search for so-called intrinsic hazards, i.e. hazardous
materials used in construction, fitting out or equipment that are regulated or pose a
hazard during decommissioning and demolition work:
_ Asbestos
_ PCB, polychlorinated biphenyls
_ PAHs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
_ Timber preservatives
_ Lead
_ Refrigerants
_ Flammables
_ Formaldehyde (in furniture)
Although these materials were banned decades ago in most countries, laboratories
built up to around 2000 may contain significant quantities of asbestos, PCBs,
PAHs, wood preservatives, toxic solvents, etc. In case of doubt, a Sampling and
Analysis Plan (SAP, see below) should be created, reviewed and approved,
considering suspected or identified intrinsic hazards.

3.5 Laboratory closure and remediation of risks

The closure of the laboratory and the remediation phase are the last step in the
decommissioning sequence before the laboratory or building is handed over to a
new user, renovated or demolished.

The aim of the remediation is to reduce the risk to humans and the environment
from hazardous substances to a level that is considered sufficient or acceptable
(acceptance criteria), depending on the extent of the risk.

Emissions that may arise during the renovation or demolition of the laboratory shell
(e.g. dust from the demolition of walls or floors) must be considered and reduced or
avoided depending on the risk. If emissions are to be expected, temporary plastic
enclosures and airlocks, for example, must be used.

Intrinsic hazards, chemically or radioactively contaminated materials and bulky

items cannot be decontaminated at site. They are removed and disposed of in a
safe manner by qualified specialists. In general, such materials and equipment are
packed and transported off-site as hazardous special waste with little or no
destruction.

Biological hazards (microorganisms, biologicals, allergens) are decontaminated on

site before disposal:
_ In microbiological and biomedical laboratories, always check for accompanying
chemical, radiological, and intrinsic hazards first.
_ Determine whether wet wiping of surfaces with a liquid decontaminant or
fumigation is more effective or safer, or both.

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Laboratory closure
The closure of a laboratory follows a planned workflow and usually begins with the
removal of all contamination-free personal belongings. If they are not
contamination-free and cannot be decontaminated, they are disposed of. Next, the
following items are removed:
_ Loose hazardous substances that are to be reused
_ Loose items that are disposed of

The collection of loose items for use or disposal can be carried out by internal
employees under the supervision of hazardous waste specialists. This includes, for
example:
_ Small laboratory equipment, labware and supplies
_ Chemicals
_ Radioactive materials
_ Pharmaceuticals
_ Biological hazards
_ Sharps
_ DVDs, CDs, data cards, laptops, hard drives, monitors, etc.
_ Glass and plasticware
_ Gas cylinders
_ Etc.

Remediation of risks
Depending on the purpose of the decommissioning and whether the laboratory can
be safely handed over to a new user at this point in time, large mobile and fixed
furniture and structures are dusted, cleaned and decontaminated as necessary
prior to handover. A review of the cleaning and decontamination steps as well as
the personal protective equipment to be used is required based on the
decommissioning plan.

If the items are to be reused in another laboratory, they will be inspected, cleaned,
decontaminated and/or labelled by the laboratory occupants before being packed
and moved to their new location. This also applies to large mobile equipment that
is to be reused (see below).

If the laboratory is to be demolished or completely renovated, the next step is to

remove or dispose of the large mobile equipment:
_ Large mobile equipment and furniture that will be reused
_ Large mobile equipment and furniture that will be disposed of

The cleaning and decontamination work for these items can be carried out by
internal resources. A verification of the cleaning and decontamination steps is
required based on the decommissioning plan for items to be reused and disposed
of.

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Fixed furniture, services, utilities and structures remain in the laboratory because
they can generate hazardous dust or because it is not possible to decontaminate
them on site or at all (HVAC components, plumbing, sinks, fixed very large
equipment). It may be necessary to apply tighter access control, put up additional
hazard warning signs, and use better or additional personal protective equipment.

Accordingly, this step must be carried out by qualified personnel who are trained
for this task and can verify successful cleaning and decontamination and decide on
the type of disposal (e.g. as hazardous waste). Usually, this work is outsourced to
a qualified contractor. Depending on the risks, a temporary airlock or changing
area may be advisable or required.

3.6 Release the site for subsequent work

A final inspection and verification are then required to ensure that the area is safe
for subsequent work. Accordingly, all hazard warning signs must be removed when
the area is safe.

3.7 Reporting, notification of regulatory authorities

Reporting and notification of the regulators varies from country to country and also
depends on the risks involved. The scope and details of this report should be
defined in the preparation and planning phase with the relevant authority.

4. Concluding Remarks

_ Decommissioning a laboratory can be very time-consuming and costly.

_ Regardless of the purpose and history of the laboratory, a thorough hazard
analysis with a subsequent risk assessment is always required.
_ It is recommended that a specialist consultant be engaged to perform the
analysis and investigation.
_ Sampling and renovation/demolition work must only be performed by trained and
experienced contractors and employees.
_ Ensure that best practices and local and national regulations are followed.

5. References

[1] ANSI/ASSE Z9.11-2016. Laboratory Decommissioning. Internet:

https://webstore.ansi.org/standards/asse/ansiassez9112016. Accessed
September 2024.
[2] NIH (2020). Design Requirements Manual. 1.5: 03.26.2020. Internet:
https://orf.od.nih.gov/TechnicalResources/Pages/DesignRequirementsManual
2016.aspx. Accessed September 2024.

Copyright. Please note that Containment Talk articles are protected by copyright.
However, free access and use of the articles is permitted if the authorship and
source are properly referenced. PDF versions of earlier articles can be found at the
following link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Felix-Gmuender.

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