Laborator y Pla an nni ng and De

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Re v i e
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Environmental Health and Safety

This document should be used by project managers and design professionals on campus to help identify
specific Environmental Health and Safety topics related to laboratory design during new construction or
renovation projects. This checklist is a list
list of general requirements of some of the basic health and safety
considerations that shall be included in the design features for any laboratory project. Variations from these
guidelines need approval from Environmental HealthHealth and Safety. Please complete the checklist and review
with the Environmental Health and Safety Department.

Environmental Health
Health and Sa
Safety
fety should be involved in all phases of project-planning, starting w ith th e
initi al design meeting, team. 
meeting, and should be inclu ded on the project’s design team. 

Building: Date:
Project Name: Project Number:
Projected Start Date: Projected Completion Date:
Brief Description of Project:

New
New Construction Renovation
Renovation
Buildi ng Design
Design Considerations for L abora
aboratory
tory Facilities
Fire Protecti on YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•   Have the proper fireproof If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to identify
construction materials for the proper fireproof construction materials.
building been selected?
 All City of Chicago Building
Building Codes for fire
protection and fire resistive rating must be
followed.
•  Have the requirements of NFPA 45 If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to identify
 – Standard on Fire Protection for which NFPA 45 requirements need to be
Laboratories Using Chemicals been followed.
followed?
Laborator y Separation
Separation YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Have provisions been made for the If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to help
separation of laboratory space from ensure proper separation of laboratory space
non-laboratory space? with non-laboratory space.

It is recommended to keep offices and

an d
employee support areas outside of laboratory
spaces.
•  Have provisions been made to If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to help
keep public access corridors ensure proper separation of public spaces from
separate from laboratory corridors? laboratory spaces.

It is highly recommended to maintain public

access along the perimeter of the building. 
building. 

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Environmental Health and Safety

Corri dor s YES

YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Are corridor configurations If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to help
arranged to keep laboratory ensure proper corridor configurations.
activities separate from non-
laboratory activities and allow  All corridors shall meet the City
City of Chicago
proper means of egress? Building Codes pertaining to means of egress.
•  Are service corridors kept If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to help
completely separate from public ensure proper separation of service and public
access corridors? access corridors.

 All corridors shall meet the City

City of Chicago
Building Codes pertaining to means of egress.
•  Have provisions been made for If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to help
secured access to service ensure secured access to service corridors.
corridors?
•  Is access to shut-off valves, If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to help
electrical equipment, gas cylinders ensure proper closure of shut-off
shut- off valves,
supply, etc. maintained in electrical equipment, gas cylinder supply, etc.
designated closets or mechanical inside designated closets or mechanical
spaces? spaces.
Bui ldi ng Securi
Securi ty YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Is the building designed to If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to and design
withstand local conditions such as professional to ensure resistance to natural
tornados? disasters.

•  Are provisions made for locking If no or uns ure, work with EH&S and design
control key systems, alarm devices, professional to ensure building security
lighting systems, building elements are in place.
hardening, vehicle movement and
surveillance?
Generall Laboratory Unit Considerations
Genera
Laborator y Shell YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Will the laboratory unit, laboratory If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
support areas and chemical storage proper laboratory unit configuration.
areas consist of walls on all sides, a
floor, and a ceiling?  All laboratory units shall consist of
of walls on all
sides, a floor and ceiling. All City of Chicago
Building Codes pertaining to fire protection
shall be followed.
Walls YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Will walls be painted with washable, If no or uns ure, work with EH&S for
hard, non-porous, cleanable, epoxy recommendations for wall paint and other
material? coverings.
•  Will walls consist of cove bases If no or uns ure, work with EH&S for
along the floor and backsplashes recommendations for bases, wall, and floor
along lab benches? protection to spills and splashes.

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Environmental Health and Safety

Window s YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•   Will insect screens be installed for If no or uns ure, work with EH&S for
windows that open? recommendations for insect screens.
Floor s YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•
  Will floors be constructed of non- If no or uns ure, work with EH&S for
pervious, cleanable, seamless, recommendations for flooring.
sheet vinyl, epoxy or similar
material?
•   Will floors consist of gently rounded If no or uns ure, work with EH&S for
cove base to the walls? recommendations for floor bases.
Lig hti ng YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•   Are provisions in place for If no or uns ure, work with EH&S for
adequate illumination for sufficient recommendations for lighting. 
lighting. 
visibility?
•   Will interior lighting consist of high- If no or uns ure, work with EH&S for
output fluorescent fixtures that can recommendations for lighting. 
lighting. 
provide 70 foot-candles evenly

distributed
meter from when measured at one
the floor?  All lighting ballasts should be mounted
externally.
Sinks YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Are provisions in place for a sink If no or uns ure, work with EH&S for
designated for hand washing? recommendations for hand washing sinks.

Hand washing sinks should be located in close

proximity to the laboratory door. Additional
hand washing sinks should be considered for
larger laboratories and open research spaces. 
spaces. 
•  Does the sink have lips that protect If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
drains from chemical spills? proper laboratory sink design.

•  Does the sink have a cleanable and If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
removable strainer in the drain proper laboratory sink design.
basin?
•  Will the sink be constructed of If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
stainless steel or epoxy resins that proper laboratory sink design.
are chemical resistant?
•  Will the sink basin be of sufficient If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
height and the sink consists of a proper laboratory sink design.
low profile faucet to reduce
splashing?
Laborator y Furni tur e YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Are provision made to construct all If no or uns ure, work with EH&S for
working surfaces such as bench recommendations for laboratory furniture.
tops and counters with sturdy and
chemical resistant materials?  All furniture should be capable of supporting
supporting
the anticipated loading.

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Environmental Health and Safety

•  Is the furniture designed with basic If no or uns ure, work with EH&S for
ergonomic specifications? recommendations for laboratory ergonomic
design.

Fabric materials on furniture such as chairs

shall not be used in laboratories.
Laborator y Access and Secur
Secur ity YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Will the laboratory, laboratory If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
support areas and chemical storage regulated items are secured properly.
areas have means to secure
regulated items such as radioactive  All regulated items shall have means for
materials? secured access and control from unauthorized
personnel and the public.
•  Are provisions made for locking If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
control key systems or equivalent to secured access to laboratories, laboratory
prevent unauthorized personnel support areas and chemical storage areas.
entrance into laboratory spaces?
Chemical Storage and Shelving
Chemical
Chemi cal Storage
Stor age YES NO
•  Is the laboratory designed to only If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
allow temporary storage of only temporary storage of chemicals on an as
chemicals (as needed use)? needed basis.

Long term storage of chemicals should be

designated to chemical storage areas. City of
Chicago Municipal Code 15-28 – Hazardous
Materials and Combustible Solids shall be
followed.
•  Will storage cabinets be designed If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
with partitions to separate proper chemical separation in storage cabinets.
incompatible chemicals?
Refer to the University’s 
University’s Hazardous
Hazardous Materials
Plan  for a guideline on chemical
Management Plan 
storage separation.
•  Will flammable liquid storage If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
cabinets be provided for storage of proper storage of flammable liquids.
flammable liquids?
Flammable liquid storage cabinets must be UL
listed and shall be provided for flammable
liquids greater than ten gallons.
•  Is laboratory shelving design as to If no or uns ure, work with EH&S on
not require the laboratory personnel recommended shelving height.
to reach greater than twelve inches
to the highest shelf?

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Environmental Health and Safety

Laboratory Fume Hoods

Laborator y Fume Hoods YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Has an evaluation been completed If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure end
to assess the appropriate type and user needs are met for laboratory fume hoods.
number of fume hoods needed?
The design professional should incorporate all
 ANSI/AIHA Z9.5-2003
Z9.5-2003 – Laboratory Ventilation
requirements into the design process. Please
refer to the University’s Chemical Fume Hood
Policy  for more information.
Policy
•  Has consideration been given to If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
the location of the fume hood with proper location of the laboratory fume hoods.
respect to open windows,
doorways, traffic, and other items Fume hoods should not be located adjacent to
that influence the containment a single means of egress exit or directly next to
ability of the hood? personnel workstations.
•  Are there any provisions for yes, work with EH&S to ensure proper
If yes, work
incorporating perchloric acid fume design, location, and use of perchloric acid
hoods? fume hood.
•  Will fume hood exhaust systems be If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
connected to emergency power proper emergency back-up power for laboratory
system? fume hoods.
•  Is the fume hood designed to If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
contain spills inside the hood? proper spill containment inside fume hoods.
•  Are provisions in place for If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure
adequate supply of make-up air in proper make-up air requirements for a
the laboratory for the fume hood laboratory with fume hoods.
exhausts?
The combined air supply and exhaust should
still maintain a negative pressure for most
laboratories and provide approximately six air
exchanges per hour.
•  Are there provisions to install drying yes , work with EH&S to ensure proper
If yes,
ovens or drying cabinets in the location for drying ovens or drying cabinets.
laboratory?
Drying ovens or drying cabinets shall not be
installed underneath laboratory fume hoods.
Emergency Eyewashes and SafetySafety Showers
Emergency Eyewashes YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Are provisions in place to install an If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
emergency eyewash station in emergency eyewash requirements are met.
areas where contamination of the
eye by corrosive materials, severely Design professionals shall follow all 29 CFR
irritating materials and materials 1910.151(c) and ANSI Z358.1-2009 –
that are toxic by skin absorption is Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment
likely? Standard requirements. Please refer to the
University’s Emergency Eyewashes and
Polic y for more information.
Showers Polic
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Environmental Health and Safety

•  Will the emergency eyewash If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
station be located as to allow the emergency eyewash requirements are met.
user to reach it in ten seconds or
less on the same level of the The emergency eyewash station shall be
building? identified with a highly visible
visible sign. The areas
around the eyewash shall be well lit and highly
visible.
•  Are provisions in place to locate If yes, work with EH&S to ensure all
electrical apparatuses, telephones, emergency eyewash station requirements are
thermostat, power outlets, etc. near met.
the eyewash station?
 All electrical items and appliances
appliances should be at
least 18 inches away from the eyewash station
on both sides.
•  Will the emergency eyewash If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
station be designed to deliver water emergency eyewash requirements are met.
to both eyes simultaneously at a
volume of at least 1.5 liters/minute? The velocity shall not be too high as to cause
injury to the eyes. Emergency eyewash
eyewash
stations shall not be monocular.
•  Are there provisions to install yes , work with EH&S to ensure that
If yes,
drench hoses in the laboratory, emergency eyewash stations are not
laboratory support area, or substituted for drench hoses.
chemical storage area?
Drench hoses may be used as a means to
remove chemical contamination from various
parts of the body, but they shall not substitute
emergency eyewash stations.
•  Will the water that is plumbed in the If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
emergency eyewash station be emergency eyewash requirements are met.
“tepid?”
Water temperature shall be in the range of
27°C to 35°C (80°F to 95°F).
•  Will floor drains be provided on all If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
fixed eyewash stations? emergency eyewash requirements are met.

P or U traps to floor drains should be

considered.
Emergency Safety
Safety Showers YE
YES
S NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Are provisions in place to install an If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
emergency safety shower in areas emergency safety shower requirements are
where gross chemical met.
contamination of the body is likely?
Design professionals shall follow all 29 CFR
1910.151(c) and ANSI Z358.1-2009 –

Emergency Eyewash andPlease

Standard requirements. Shower Equipment
refer to the
University’s Emergency Eyewashes and
Polic y for more information.
Showers Polic
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Environmental Health and Safety

•  Will the emergency safety shower If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
be located as to allow the user to emergency safety shower requirements are
reach it in ten seconds or less on met.
the same level of the building?
The emergency safety shower shall be
identified with a highly visible
visible sign. The areas
around the eyewash shall be well lit and highly
visible.
•  Are provisions in place to locate If yes, work with EH&S to ensure all
electrical apparatuses, telephones, emergency safety shower requirements are
thermostat, power outlets, etc. near met.
the safety shower?
 All electrical items and appliances
appliances should be at
least 18 inches away from the emergency
safety shower on both sides.
•  Will the emergency safety shower If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
have a minimum volume of 75.7 emergency safety shower requirements are
liters/minute (20 gallons/minute)? met.  
met.
•  Will the emergency safety shower If no or uns ure, work with EHS to ensure all
be designed to be activated in less emergency safety shower requirements are
than one second, when needed? met.  
met.
•  Will the water that is plumbed in the If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
emergency safety shower be emergency safety shower requirements are
“tepid?” met.

Water temperature shall be in the range of

27°C to 35°C (80°F to 95°F).
•  Will floor drains be provided for all If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
emergency safety showers? emergency safety shower requirements are
met.

P or U traps to floor drains should be

considered.
Combination Eyewashes and YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
Showers
•  Will a combination eyewash and If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
safety shower be installed? emergency safety shower requirements are
met.

The preferred solution to emergency

eyewashes and safety showers is a
combination eyewash and safety shower. 
shower. 

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Environmental Health and Safety

Fire Sa
Safety
fety and Means of Egr ess
Fire Safety
Safety YE
YES
S NO N/A Required Acti ons
•   Are provisions being made for City If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
of Chicago Building Codes fire safety and means of egress requirements
pertaining to fire safety and means are met.
of egress?
 All City of Chicago Building
Building Codes for fire
safety and means of egress shall be followed.
Policy  for
Refer to the University’s Fire Safety Policy 
more information.
•  Will the main aisle ways used for If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
means of egress have a clearance fire safety and means of egress requirements
of at least thirty-six inches? are met.

•  Will the minimum aisle clearance of If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
at least twenty-six inches be fire safety and means of egress requirements
maintained in all laboratories and are met.
laboratory support areas?
More than twenty-six inches is ideal to make
room for necessary equipment.
•  Will the pathway clearance of thirty- If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
six inches be maintained at the face fire safety and means of egress requirements
of the exit? are met.

There shall be no obstruction in the exit way

that may hamper travel and evacuation.
•  Will the laboratory doors be self- If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
closing and allow access and fire safety and means of egress requirements
egress for laboratory personnel? are met.
•  Are all exit doors designed to swing If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
in the direction of exit travel? fire safety and means of egress requirements
are met.

•  Are provisions made for the proper If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
selection, location, and number of fire safety and means of egress requirements
portable fire extinguishers? are met.

Fire extinguishers shall be clearly marked and

shall not be blocked by other objects.
•  Are sprinklers installed inside a If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
laboratory without any fire safety and means of egress requirements
obstructions? are met.

Sprinkler heads must have a clearance of at

least 18 inches from the sprinkler head to the
nearest object.

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Environmental Health and Safety

Ele
Electric
ctric ity and Utilities
Electri cal Safety
Safety YES
YES NO N/A Required Acti ons
•  Will NFPA 70 – National Electrical If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
Code be incorporated into the electrical installation requirements are met.
design of the laboratory, laboratory
support area, and chemical storage The City of Chicago requires that
th at the National
areas? Electrical Code be followed for all electrical
installations.
•  Will NFPA 70E – Standard for If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
Electrical Safety in the Workplace electrical safety requirements are met.
be incorporated into the design of
the laboratory, laboratory support
area and chemical storage areas?
•  Will outlets be located on every If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
open wall such that there are no electrical installations and safety requirements
more than six feet of wall space to are met.
any given outlet?
Quad outlet boxes are recommended over
duplex boxes.
•  Will laboratory benches be If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
equipped with a continuous outlet electrical installation and safety requirements
molding with outlets spacing about are met.
every six to twelve inches?
•  Are provisions in place to fit the If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
laboratory and laboratory support electrical installations and safety requirements
area with electrical outlets that can are met.
accommodate current requirements
with an additional twenty to forty
percent capacities of its intended
use?
•  Will circuit breakers be located If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
outside of the laboratory, but not in electrical installation and safety requirements
rated corridors? are met.

Circuit breaker panels and similar equipment

shall be labeled with a notification of an
electrical rating.
•  Will electrical receptacles above If no or uns ure, work with EH&S to ensure all
countertops, on bench tops, and electrical installations and safety requirements
within six feet of any wet areas
are as are met.
such as a sink contain GFCI circuit
protection?

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