Remember to keep those lab doors closed! This helps ensure negative air pressure is being maintained. The buildings are designed to maintain negative directional air flow from the corridor to the lab spaces. When the doors are left open, the building’s ability to do this is compromised. This is also an important component for maintaining fire safety and biosecurity on campus.
It is also important to practice good hand hygiene, not only during a pandemic, but also as an essential component of everyday laboratory safety. When you enter a lab and before leaving a lab, remember to wash your hands with soap and water. This, in combination with disinfecting high touch surfaces such as door handles, is recommended when returning to research during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We understand the convenience in propping doors open to move freely between labs, particularly when moving samples or reagents. In this case, it is recommended to keep one hand ungloved for opening doors or accessing the elevator and using a lab cart to help transport the materials.
Many lab doors are self-closing and have locks. If you feel your lab door does not close or lock properly, contact EHSO or Campus Services.
For more information please see:
- CDC/NIH: Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, 5th Edition, Section VI pp. 110
- 29CFR 1910.1450 Appendix A(4)
- ANSI Z9.5 4.4-4.6, 6.1
- EHS-402 Biosafety Manual – located on our website at ehso.emory.edu
- EHS-405 Chemical Hygiene Plan – located on our website at ehso.emory.edu