Purpose
To protect personnel working on or handling equipment that has been removed or relocated from a
laboratory or laboratory area by identifying potential chemical, biological, or radioactive residue which
may remain.
This tag may also be used to identify potential hazards in vacated laboratories where harmful residues
may be present.
Additionally, this tag should also be used on any chemical fume hood or biological safety cabinet present
in the area to verify that it has received proper decontamination and can be used by a new occupant or
disconnected and moved by UA personnel. Contact EHS to schedule decontamination services 30 days
prior to lab move.
Scope
The Equipment Hazard Tag (EHT) must be affixed to any piece of equipment which is:
- Removed from a laboratory or laboratory area for service or maintenance
- Transferred or relocated to another area, or
- Removed from service and surplussed
Requirements
- Before any piece of equipment is removed from a laboratory area, the laboratory personnel must complete an Equipment Hazard Tag (EHT) which identifies possible residual hazards which may be present on the equipment. They must then contact EHS-Lab Safety. A Lab Safety Technician must review the EHT, sign it, and post it on the equipment to be removed.
- A hazard tag is required even if the equipment has been cleaned before removal, identifying the chemical, biological agent or radioactive source which was contained in or was in contact with the equipment.
- Verbal information is not acceptable.
Completing the Tag
Section A – General Information
The equipment and a contact person from the Laboratory must be identified.
Section B – Lockout/Energy Control
If the equipment has multiple energy sources which must be disconnected or controlled before moving or servicing the equipment, these energy sources must be identified by attaching a documented list of energy sources and controls to alert service personnel of stored energy or electrical hazards the equipment may possess. If you do not know, indicate that on the tag.
Section C – No Hazards
This section should be used only for equipment that has NEVER BEEN USED WITH OR EXPOSED TO CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, or RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS.
Section D – Hazards
Complete this section if:
At any time in the life of the equipment or room, the equipment has been exposed to chemical, biological, or radioactive hazards.
Section E – Radiation
- If the equipment contained, or was in contact with radioactive material, it must be decontaminated (internally and externally).
- The owner shall perform a wipe test and a pancake probe survey if applicable.
- UA Radiation Safety Officer should be consulted on how the survey is to be documented and to see if additional actions are needed. A Radiation Safety Technician must sign off on the tag – if specific procedures are necessary for safe handling, they must be attached to the tag.
- Non-removable contamination must be identified on the hazard tag under Section G – Special Instructions.
Section F – Equipment Cleaning
Before equipment is removed from an area, it must be cleaned and decontaminated as thoroughly as possible by laboratory personnel.
Section H – Signatures
Equipment will not be accepted by maintenance or service personnel without a signature. Construction on vacated laboratories should not be done without a completed Safe and Compliant door tag.
The contact person’s signature ensures that the user, who has the best knowledge of the equipment or laboratory, has attempted to clean/decontaminate the equipment or laboratory to the extent possible and has identified all remaining potential hazards.