Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a) All treatment
works shall include a laboratory for making the necessary analytical
determinations and operating control tests, except for those plants utilizing
only processes not requiring laboratory testing for plant control and
satisfactory off-site laboratory provisions are made to meet the permit
monitoring requirements. For plants where a fully equipped laboratory is not
required, the requirements for utilities and equipment such as fume hoods may
be reduced or omitted.
b) The
laboratory shall have sufficient size, bench space, equipment and supplies to
perform all self-monitoring analytical work required by discharge permits, and
to perform the process control tests necessary for good management of each
treatment process included in the design.
c) The facilities and supplies necessary to
perform analytical work to support industrial waste control programs will
normally be included in the same laboratory. The laboratory size and
arrangement must be sufficiently flexible and adaptable to accomplish these
assignments. The layout should consider future needs for expansion in the event
that more analytical work is needed.
d) Location and Space
1) The laboratory should be located on ground
level, easily accessible to all sampling points, with environmental control as
an important consideration. It shall be located in a separate room or building
away from vibrating machinery or equipment which might have adverse effects on
the performance of laboratory instruments or the analyst, or shall be designed
to prevent structural transmission of machine vibration. The floor and wall
construction shall be designed to keep out machine noise (blowers, pumps,
etc.). The following minimum conditions shall be met:
A) Blowers, pumps, etc., must be located on a
separate floor pad.
B) Common walls
between machinery rooms must be double-walled with sound insulation between the
walls. Connecting doors or windows to machinery rooms are not
acceptable.
C) Common attic space
shall be blocked off and effective sound proof material provided in the
ceiling.
2) A minimum of
400 square feet of floor space should be allocated for the laboratory. Less
space may be allowed if the sampling and analysis program, approved by the
Agency, does not require a full-time laboratory chemist. If more than two
persons normally will be working in the laboratory at any given time, 100
square feet of additional space should be provided for each additional person.
Bench-top working surface should occupy at least 35 percent of the total floor
space.
3) Minimum ceiling height
should be 8 feet 6 inches. If possible, this height should be increased to
provide for the installation of wall-mounted water stills, distillation racks,
and other equipment with extended height requirements.
4) Additional floor and bench space should be
provided to facilitate performance of analysis of industrial wastes, as
required by the discharge permit and the utilities industrial waste
pretreatment program. The above minimum space does not provide office or
administration space.
e)
Materials
1) Ceilings
Acoustical tile should be used for ceilings except in high
humidity areas where they should be constructed of cement plaster. Materials
containing asbestos shall not be used.
2) Walls
For ease of maintenance and a pleasant working environment,
light-colored ceramic tile should be used from floor to ceiling for all
interior walls.
3) Floors
Floor surface materials shall be fire resistant and highly
resistant to acids, alkalies, solvents, and salts.
4) Doors
A)
Two exit doors should be located to permit a straight egress from the
laboratory, preferably at least one to outside the building. Panic hardware
should be used. They should have large glass windows for easy visibility of
approaching or departing personnel.
B) Automatic door closers should be
installed; swinging doors should not be used.
C) Flush hardware should be provided on doors
if cart traffic is anticipated. Kick plates are also recommended.
f) Cabinets and Bench
Tops
1) Cabinets
A) Wall-hung cabinets are useful for
dust-free storage of instruments and glassware.
B) Units with sliding glass doors are
preferable. They should be hung so the top shelf is easily accessible to the
analyst. Thirty inches from the bench top is recommended.
C) One or more cupboard-style base cabinets
should be provided for storing large items; however, drawer units are preferred
for the remaining cabinets. Drawers should slide out so that entire contents
are easily visible. They should be provided with rubber bumpers and with stops
which prevent accidental removal. Drawers should be supported on ball bearings
or nylon rollers which pull easily in adjustable steel channels. All metal
drawer fronts should be double-wall construction. All cabinet shelving should
be acid resistant and adjustable from inside the cabinet.
2) Bench Tops
Generally, bench-top height should be 36 inches. However,
areas to be used exclusively for sit-down type operations should be 30 inches
high and include kneehole space. One-inch overhangs and drip grooves should be
provided to keep liquid spills from running along the face of the cabinet. Tops
should be furnished in large sections, 11/4 inches thick. They should be field
joined into a continuous surface with acid, alkali, and solvent-resistant
cements which are at least as strong as the material of which the top is
made.
3) Utility
Accessories
Water, gas, air, and vacuum service fixtures; traps,
strainers, overflows, plugs and tailpieces; and all electrical service fixtures
shall be supplied with the laboratory furniture.
g) Hoods
Fume hoods to promote safety and canopy hoods over
heat-releasing equipment shall be installed.
1) Fume Hoods
A) Location
i) Fume hoods should be located where air
disturbance at the face of the hood is minimal. Air disturbance may be created
by persons walking past the hood; by heating, ventilating or air-conditioning
systems; by drafts from opening or closing a door; etc.
ii) Safety factors should be considered in
locating a hood. If a hood is situated near a doorway, a secondary means of
egress must be provided. Bench surfaces should be available next to the hood so
that chemicals need not be carried long distances.
B) Design and Materials
i) The selection of fume hoods, their design
and materials of construction, must be made by considering the variety of
analytical work to be performed and the characteristics of the fumes,
chemicals, gases, or vapors that will or may be released. Special design and
construction is necessary if perchloric acid use is anticipated. Consideration
should be given for providing more than one fume hood to minimize potential
hazardous conditions throughout the laboratory.
ii) Fume hoods are not appropriate for
operation of heat-releasing equipment that does not contribute to hazards,
unless they are provided in addition to those needed to perform hazardous
tasks.
C) Fixtures
i) One cup sink should be provided inside
each fume hood.
ii) All switches,
electrical outlets, and utility and baffle adjustment handles should be located
outside the hood. Light fixtures should be explosion-proof.
D) Exhaust
Continuous duty exhaust capability should be provided.
Exhaust fans should be explosion-proof. Exhaust velocities should be checked
when fume hoods are installed.
E) Alarms
A buzzer for indicating exhaust fan failure and a static
pressure gauge should be placed in the exhaust duct. A high temperature sensing
device located inside the hood should be connected to the buzzer.
2) Canopy Hoods
Canopy hoods should be installed over the bench-top areas
where hot plate, steam bath, or other heating equipment or heat-releasing
instruments are used. The canopy should be constructed of steel, plastic, or
equivalent material, and finished with enamel to blend with other laboratory
furnishings.
h)
Sinks
1) The laboratory should have a minimum
of 3 sinks (not including cup sinks). At least 2 of them should be double-well
with drainboards. Additional sinks should be provided in separate work areas as
needed, and identified for the use intended.
2) Waste openings should be located toward
the back so that a standing overflow will not interfere. All water fixtures on
which hoses may be used should be provided with reduced zone pressure backflow
preventers to prevent contamination of water lines.
3) The sinks should be constructed of
material highly resistant to acids, alkalies, solvents, and salts, and should
be abrasion and heat resistant, non-absorbent, light in weight and have all
appropriate characteristics for laboratory applications. Traps should be made
of glass, plastic, or lead and easily accessible for cleaning.
i) Ventilation and Lighting
1) Laboratories shall be separately air
conditioned and dehumidification shall be provided where laboratory control
tests procedures will be affected by high humidity conditions. Separate exhaust
ventilation outlet locations (fume and heat hoods, room air, etc.) shall be
provided remote from ventilation intakes.
2) Adequate lighting, free from shadows,
shall be provided to permit reading of laboratory instrument dials, glassware
calibrations, etc.
j)
Gas and Vacuum
1) Natural or bottled gas
should be supplied to the laboratory. Digester gas should not be
used.
2) An adequately-sized line
source of vacuum should be provided with outlets available throughout the
laboratory.
k) Balance
and Table
An analytical balance of the automatic, digital readout,
single pan, 0.1 milligram sensitivity type shall be provided. A heavy
special-design balance table which will minimize vibration of the balance shall
be provided. It shall be located as far as practical from windows, doors, or
other sources of drafts or air movements, so as to minimize undesirable impacts
from these sources upon the balance.
l) Equipment, Supplies and Reagents
The laboratory shall be provided with all of the equipment,
supplies, and reagents that are needed to carry out all of the facility's
analytical testing requirements. Discharge permit, process control, and
industrial waste monitoring requirements must be considered when specifying
equipment needs. References such as Standard Methods and the USEPA Analytical
Procedures Manual should be consulted prior to specifying equipment
items.
m) Power Supply
Regulation
1) To eliminate voltage
fluctuation, electrical lines supplying the laboratory should be controlled
with a constant voltage, harmonic neutralized type of transformer. This
transformer should contain less than 3% total root mean square (rms) harmonic
content in the output, should regulate to +i1% for an
input range of +i15% of nominal voltage, with an
output of 118 volts. For higher voltage requirements, the 240-volt lines should
be similarly regulated.
2)
Electrical devices in the laboratory not requiring a regulated supply (i.e.,
ordinary resistance heating devices) that are non-portable may be wired to an
unregulated supply.
n)
Laboratory Grade Water Source
A laboratory grade water source, with at least one gallon per
hour capacity, shall be installed complete with all utility connections. The
type of treatment used to produce laboratory grade water shall be based on the
quality of water required for the tests to be performed at the plant.
Laboratory water treatment devices shall be constructed of materials that are
compatible with the water to be treated and produced.
o) Laboratory Safety Equipment
Laboratory safety equipment shall be provided in accordance
with the requirements of Section
370.560(a)(3), (a)(9), (b)(3)
and (b)(6).
