SECTION VII - ROOM NUMBER SIGNS

Each laboratory should have a room number sign that provides safety information to visitors and housekeeping personnel (see Figure 1).  The Lab Supervisor or Lead Instructor is responsible for assuring that appropriate warning information is included on this sign.  

It is suggested that the sign be composed of four sections (see Figure 1).  Section one contains the room number and department name.  Section two includes the names of the researchers.  Section three provides warning information to visitors and housekeeping personnel.  Special labels may be placed into the boxes of this section.  The labels contain icons alerting the reader that one of the following conditions exists inside the laboratory:

CAUTION-CARCINOGEN

CAUTION-BIOHAZARD

CAUTION-DESIGNATED AREA WITHIN

CAUTION-DESIGNATED AREA

CAUTION-RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

CAUTION-LASER

CAUTION-MAGNETIC FIELD

Section three also contains special procedures or precautions to be followed in the event of the loss of specific building services (e.g., chilled water, fume hoods, steam, electricity, or vacuum) and the date of the sign's posting.

Section four provides emergency phone numbers.  

Untrained students, faculty, staff and administrators shall not enter a designated area, except when accompanied by a trained, authorized user of the facility.  

Custodians are permitted to enter restricted or designated areas to perform routine tasks.  However, labeled waste containers, other research equipment or materials, should not be handled.  

Other support services, such as:  Safety & Security, Physical Plant, Health & Safety personnel, etc., are permitted to enter a designated area.  Support services should avoid disturbing the following areas:  

• fume hoods  

• biological safety cabinets

• placarded equipment

• chemicals or materials on laboratory benches  

Support personnel shall contact an authorized user of the facility or OHS before performing work that may involve any of the above items.  Contact OHS if emergency response or service is required in a designated area (-3775). 

Immediately report any unusual conditions to OHS or Safety & Security (see page ii), such as:  

• spills
• leaks
• fires
• injury
• contamination  

For additional information regarding designated areas, contact your Lab Supervisor, Lead Instructor, or OHS (-3775).