Custodial services in laboratories includes regular non-hazardous trash pickup, once a year floor stripping and waxing, and refilling hand soap and towel dispensers as needed. The actual frequency of these services is dependent on the nature of the activities in the lab however, Instructional Support Technicians (ISTs) from the departments generally do specific areas of clean-up tied to the nature of the lab and will put in a Work Request for any further needs.
It is the responsibility of the IST to arrange for custodians to have access to the lab, or alternatively, make sure that the lab trash cans are left out in the halls after 5 pm each day. The custodians are specifically prohibited from the following activities in laboratories:
- Cleaning up chemical spills
- Moving chemicals
- Removing spill cleanup materials as regular trash
- Cleaning up residues from spill clean ups without prior EHS approval
- Allowing lab personnel to use custodial supplies, (especially mop heads) to clean up chemical spills
The custodians are permitted in labs to clean up non-chemically related floods and vomit but will only do so after procuring the appropriate cleaning equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Custodial Services requests that IST departmental staff do not help themselves to the custodial equipment or supplies to clean up chemical or biological spills. If you need help with a spill of a hazardous material, contact EH&S.