Reminder: New Lab Coat Laundry Process

October 18, 2023
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety

Information for Researchers

Earlier this fall, Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) launched a new lab coat laundry process.

Please perform the following steps if your lab coat is in need of laundering:

  1. Fill out the Lab Coat Request Form to request a clean lab coat.
    1. Note: Clean lab coats will be delivered via campus mail to your mail code. Check your assigned mail room 3-7 business days after submitting your request to pick up your clean lab coat.
  2. Place soiled lab coats in a clear bag. Submit to EH&S using Mail Code 1155.
    1. Hampers at lab coat laundry locations will soon be removed if they haven’t been already.
  3. In an effort to address delays in the laundering process, all researchers will be issued clean coats via campus mail and a streamlined centralized system has been set up for lab coat receiving and returns.

Important

Contaminated lab coats may require disposal depending on the level of contamination.

  • Please review the How do I get my lab coat cleaned/replaced if something spills on it instructions and FAQs below.

How do I get my lab coat cleaned/replaced if something spills on it?

Steps:

  1. Whether a lab coat should be laundered, disposed of, or given to EH&S for decontamination will depend on what was spilled on the coat.

    BiologicalRadioactiveChemical

    BSL1: 

    • Spray with 10% bleach.
    • Rinse after 20 minutes and let dry
    • Send for laundering

    If H-3 (Tritium)  contamination is suspected:

    • Place the lab coat in a sealed bag.
    • Label it with your name, date, and H-3 (Tritium).

    Small spill:

    • Pre-clean and rinse with water or soapy water
    • Dry
    • Send for laundering

    BSL2:

    • Small spill:
      • Spray with 10% bleach
      • Rinse after 20 minutes and let dry
      • Send for laundering
    • Large spill: Dispose of as biological waste.

    Report all spills to the campus biosafety officer at (510) 642-3073 or at bso@berkeley.edu.

    All other radionuclides:

    • Survey your coat with a radiation survey meter.
    • If any spot on the coat reads greater than two (2) times background, the coat is contaminated.
      • Place the lab coat in a sealed bag.
      • Label it with your name, date and radionuclide.
    		 Large spill: Dispose as hazardous waste.
  2. All other dirty coats should be returned to EH&S for laundering. 

    • Request a clean coat via campus mail:

      • Fill out the Lab Coat Request Form.
      • Requested lab coats will be delivered to your assigned mail room 3-7 business days after submitting your request.
        • Don’t know your mail code? Look up your mail code here.
      • After receiving your clean coat:
        • Empty pockets and submit soiled lab coats in a clear bag to EH&S with Mail Code 1155.
    • In-person lab coat exchange:
      • Make an appointment to come to the PPE Fitting Room (Physics North 156) to trade in your soiled coat for a clean one.
        • Note: will require at least 24-hr lead time to ensure that your coat size is available.

For instructional lab coats, fill out the Instructional Lab Coat Wash Request form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to send my soiled lab coat in before requesting or receiving a clean one?

No

Will I be getting the same lab coat back at any point?

No

Will the clean lab coat have my name or my PI's name in it?

No

Will the laundry vendor continue to pick up directly from the current laundry locations across campus?

No

Will the laundry vendor continue to return lab coats directly to the current laundry locations across campus?

No

Will the current laundry locations be going away?

Yes

Will there be any changes to laundering of instructional lab coats?

No

Topics

Department Safety Coordinators topic page, PPE topic page