The Idiot Proof Checklist to Moving a Laboratory

Laboratory moving in Coral Gables can be made a lot easier than you think it could be. Taking special care when moving material and experiments can help in making sure that research and equipment is not compromised. A valuable tool to help you do this is having a checklist to consult. This checklist can remove several issues that you may encounter when you are trying to move your laboratory should not have utilize one. In order to simplify this material, the following checklist has been broken down into 3 phases. These phases include before, during and after your laboratory move.

Before the Laboratory Move

The technical nature of moving a laboratory makes planning a key element that needs to be taken for your move. It is important not to wait too late to initiate this step. Careful planning eliminates many woes that may occur had you not taken the opportunity to identify what actions needed to be taken when moving your laboratory.

• Allocate roles for your team (if you have one). Assigning roles to members of your team allows for the work load to be broken up and for thorough checks to be done
• Assign a task manager for your team to oversee the moving process
• Create a database of all material and equipment so that you know exactly what is being transported
• Make a copy of the database, being careful to sort material (for example, taking into account factors such as chemicals which shouldn’t be placed near to each other during transportation due to fire hazards)
• Determine whether you need to procure special permission to transport certain material
• Carry out a site evaluation of you new location
• Establish a timeline for your move
• Get reviews of laboratory movers in the area
• Secure the services of a laboratory mover
• Discuss with the laboratory mover any special conditions that need to be met
• Pre-order any new equipment that you may want added to your new laboratory location
• Examine state laws that cover the transportation of chemicals

During the Laboratory Move

Once you have obtained the services of a laboratory mover, a large part of what takes place during this phase will be completed by them. It therefore becomes important to choose competent movers who will exercise due caution when travelling with your laboratory equipment and material.

• Thorough communication with your movers should be taking place from the moment you contract their services
• Ensure that hazardous materials and chemical are dealt with correctly
• Execution of ideas expressed in the planning phase with careful attention being paid to database information
• Segregation of laboratory chemicals
• Movement of all laboratory equipment

After the laboratory move

After you have arrived in your new location your laboratory movers will likely be in charge of the unpacking and reassembling of the lab. It is important that you are in regular contact with your movers to ensure that this part of the process runs smooth and the laboratory is being set up to your expectations. This helps to minimize any confusion due to miscommunication.

• Check to make sure that all of equipment and materials have arrived in good condition
• Unpack transported material
• Display safety warnings and regulations
• Careful placement of materials; sticking to instructions expressed in the planning phases with regards to material placement and segregation

Essential elements that also take place during the movement of laboratories are meetings with your selected movers. It is important to make the most out of these meetings with your laboratory movers as it allows for all details to be thoroughly explained and expressed.

It is important that you sufficiently examine the work history and reputation of any potential mover. This is especially true given the technical nature of laboratory moving. Hiring an incompetent company can result harm in both your business and others. Take this stage to craft careful interview questions. Inquire about the company’s policies with regards to the handling of hazardous material, the sealing of material and their packaging process. Another area to be on watch for is their attention to detail and how well they are able to follow instructions. Their inability to follow your instructions in the interview stage should be a red flag to you that they probably won’t follow your instructions during the actual moving of material and equipment.

Additionally you may want to actually inspect the equipment that any potential laboratory mover is planning to use to transport items in your lab. A mover who is not properly equipped to relocate biological materials, chemicals and sensitive laboratory tools is one that you should be hesitant to hire. Remember, an accident that occurs in the transport of your laboratory has far reaching consequences that simply you having to replace equipment. It therefore cannot be stressed enough that you need to take due diligence in the hiring of any laboratory mover as failure to do so can result in the detriment of your operation.