D.1.2 Winter Storage and Vacating Laboratory Space

Marine Biological Laboratory
Policy No. D.1.2

Facilities

Initiated by:Manager, Facilities, Services and Projects
Approved by:Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, MBL Director/CEO
Date:January 1, 1987
Revision: #4, May 14, 2009
Distribution: MBL Visiting Scientists

Visiting Scientists who rent laboratory and/or office space at the MBL must normally vacate those spaces at the end of their rental period and leave those spaces in a condition that permits their use for other investigators or other purposes by the MBL. However, researchers who plan to return to the MBL can elect to either pack up and store supplies and equipment or leave their rented space intact under certain conditions specified by this policy

1.0 Leaving Rented Labs Intact for the Off-Season

It is recognized that certain Visiting Scientist laboratories are set up in a manner that makes it difficult to pack and remove all supplies and equipment for the off season, or are otherwise renovated, modified or reserved in a manner that does not allow those spaces to be readily used for other purposes. Under the specific authorization of the Director of Facilities, Services and Projects and the office of the Chief Academic and Scientific Officer (CASO), such laboratories may be allowed to stay partially or completely set up over the off season and to store supplies and equipment in the lab. However, this must be approved in advance on a yearly basis, and a storage/lab reservation fee will be assessed for those off season months which will be 1/3rd the rate per square foot of the off season lab rental rate as specified in Policy K.1.7.off-season

2.0 Storage:

The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) can provide limited storage of laboratory equipment during the off-season months as follows:

    2.1 All items, except chemicals or hazardous materials, are to be stored in standard wooden MBL storage boxes (2 feet x 2 feet x 3 feet). These are available, with adequate notice, at a purchase cost to be quoted at time of order.

    2.2 Off-season storage in cardboard boxes cannot be permitted.

    2.3 Up to four MBL boxes are allowed as a general rule. A charge per box may be imposed for boxes above this limit.

    2.4 The weight of each box should not exceed 150 pounds.

    2.5 Boxes must be packed by the investigators.

    2.6 Boxes and equipment must be placed in the laboratory on a blank wall whenever possible.

    2.7 At the discretion of the MBL, boxes and equipment may be moved to other areas including the MBL warehouse to permit cleaning, maintenance activities, or use of the space for other purposes.

    2.8 The MBL will take all reasonable steps to avoid damage to the packed material, but the MBL will not take responsibility for any damage.

    2.9 A Bill of Material for each box must be completed and left with each box by the individual requesting storage. It is recommended that the Principal Investigator maintain a copy of the completed form. See policy D.2.2.

    2.10 Large pieces of equipment that cannot fit in an MBL storage box may be stored on a case by case basis with written approval from the Director of Facilities, Projects and Services or Manager of Building Services, Transportation and Grounds.

    2.11 Chemicals and hazardous material are allowed to be stored in the laboratory, provided they are stored in polyethylene containers approved by the Safety Officer. These containers are available from the Chemical Supply Room. They are large enough to hold 5 4-liter bottles.

    Note: Consideration must be given to chemical incompatibility and temperature changes. The MBL Safety Officer will be available for consultation.

    2.12 The MBL reserves the right to charge for the storage of material that has not been used for a period of one year at a rate of $10/box/year retroactive to the initial storage date. There will not be a handling charge for chemicals or hazardous material stored in the approved polyethylene containers.

    2.13 Storage problems not adequately addressed by this policy may be discussed with the Director of Facilities, Projects and Services or the Manager of Building Services, Transportation and Grounds.

3.0 Vacating Laboratories:

Chemicals and liquids (or any hazardous materials) not scheduled for storage, shall be removed by the Safety Department for disposal. Please contact Safety (Ext. 7424) to have these chemicals picked up. It should be noted that if some of these chemicals are still considered good, they will be offered up at no charge to other labs on campus. It should also be noted that the MBL does not ship hazardous chemicals.

Other materials left behind, not scheduled for MBL storage, will be handled at the MBL’s discretion, in one of three methods.

    3.1 Items will be packed and shipped COD to the principal investigator, with all MBL costs charged to the Principal Investigator.

    3.2 Items will be placed in commercial storage with all costs billed to the Principal Investigator.

    3.3 Items will be removed and discarded with all associated costs billed to the Principal Investigator.

4.0 Remaining Marine Specimens

The disposition of all remaining marine specimens must be completed prior to vacating the laboratory.

    4.1 Any remaining specimens must be reported to Marine Resources.

    4.2 Specify whether the specimens have been injected with any substance or whether the animal is considered exotic (not locally collected).

5.0 Policy Clarification and Updates:

Policy clarification and updates are available from the Facilities Office.