Environmental Health and Safety releases new SOP for BSL-2 lab cleaning

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) has rolled out a new standard operating procedure (SOP) for cleaning floors in Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) laboratory spaces. This SOP outlines the steps and responsibilities that help ensure custodial staff can perform this work safely and that lab spaces are properly prepared before cleaning occurs.

BSL-2 laboratories are not included in routine custodial services and are only entered for floor cleaning after the space has been prepared and marked as ready by lab personnel.

Before custodial staff can enter a BSL-2 lab for floor cleaning, lab personnel must complete the following:

• Decontaminate lab surfaces and secure all biological materials
• Remove all biohazardous and regular waste from the space
• Clear the floor of any lab materials and consumables
• Post the “Area Ready for Cleaning” sign and notify Building Services

Custodial staff should only enter BSL-2 labs once these steps have been completed and the space has been clearly marked as ready. While in the space, custodial responsibilities are limited to floor cleaning only, using the appropriate disinfectant and required personal protective equipment (PPE). Custodial staff should not touch lab equipment, materials or waste.

All applicable custodial staff are encouraged to review the updated guidance on the EHS SOP webpage under the “processes” section.