The Laboratory Safety Committee has approved policy pertaining to working alone. Review the following documents:
Lab coats should extend to knees. They are available through the University Bookstore, Fisher Scientific, or Grainger.
The CWRU Laboratory Biosafety Manual and Laboratory Safety Manual cannot possibly take into account all procedures that are conducted in laboratories campus wide. For this reason each must keep a Chemical Hygiene Plan in the laboratory.
Laboratory coats that extend to the knees are required for any work in the laboratory. They should be buttoned completely to protect skin and clothing from splatter and spills. These coats are loose-fitting by design so, in case of chemical contact, it is much faster and easier to remove a laboratory coat than the street clothes, therefore minimizing skin contact with hazardous materials.
When NOT to Wear Lab Coat
Laboratory coats should never be worn in public areas such as offices, eating areas, lounge areas, or any place outside of the laboratory. A laboratory coat may transfer hazardous materials and/or contaminants into these areas and expose the general public.
Before you leave your laboratory, remove all personal protective equipment such as laboratory coats and gloves.
Laundering Laboratory Coats
Laboratory coats should not to be laundered in household washing machines nor a public laundromat. Case Western Reserve University has Liniform Uniform and Linen Service handle the monthly laundering of laboratory coats/scrubs.
Some of the advantages with Liniform is that a heat seal label will be applied to each garment helping us to visually track each garment, as well as an RFID chip placed on each garment. This RFID chip is a tracking process to lessen the chances of the item
being lost.
To establish service please fill out this form for each laundry item and then email all forms to Eric Marquardt, the Liniform representative for CWRU, at emarquardt@liniform.com. EACH AND EVERY ITEM BEING TURNED IN TO BE LAUNDERED INITIALLY MUST HAVE ITS OWN SEPARATE IDENTIFICATION SHEET COMPLETED AND STAPLED TO EVERY GARMENT. This is needed only for the first time a garment is submitted, or until an RFID chip is placed on the item for future tracking. Once an account is established, drop off lab coats in the dock area of Shipping and Receiving in the Service Building, the dock area of the Wolstein Research Building (WRB) or the Cedar Incubator loading dock. Leave laundry in a clear plastic bag, in the receptacle provided inside the dock area beneath the sign that reads "Liniform”
Payment for laundry service is collected monthly. P-card use will be permitted. An invoice will be returned with delivery showing the p-card payment for accounting purposes.
Drop-off/Pick-up Schedule
Coats/Scrubs dropped off to the locations will be picked up by Liniform on Wednesdays. Clean lab coats are delivered the following Wednesday on hangers to the same location where dropped off. Please pick up clean laboratory coats on time to avoid confusion.
If these procedures are not followed, lab coats will not be picked up.