7.3 Clean-up for Exiting Laboratory Employees

This policy is applicable when an individual or an entire laboratory group vacates a research and development laboratory or pilot plant space. These exiting requirements also cover offices and all individual and shared storage areas used by the vacating laboratory occupants. Materials requiring proper disposal, cleanup, or retention include but are not limited to the following:

1. Scrap
2. Hazardous materials including: chemicals, biohazards, radioactive materials
3. Raw materials including solvents
4. Experimental materials
5. Product samples
6. Equipment

Exiting employees must dispose of all chemicals and other materials in accordance with MTU recommended practices and all federal, state, and local regulations. For example, regulations developed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Transportation to meet requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA) deserve special compliance efforts. The MTU Waste Disposal Procedures outline compliance procedures for employees to follow in meeting these RCRA and HMTA regulations. Assistance is available from MTU staff groups such as Occupational Safety and Health Services.

Individuals and laboratory groups should carefully review all the materials they choose to retain or dispose of in the vacated space. Individuals leaving a laboratory will complete all requirements on the Individual Laboratory Employee Exiting Statement.

When an entire group vacates a laboratory space, the appropriate laboratory supervisor has the responsibility for completing all the requirements on the Exiting Statement.

It is the responsibility of the department or division chair/director to implement this policy and retain the Exiting Statement for a period of one year.