Kansas State University

Laboratory Safety Renovation Program awardees announced

Submitted by Sarah Hancock

Safe and functional research and teaching laboratories are critical to advancing Kansas State University. The Office of the Vice President for Administration and Finance and the Office of the Vice President for Research have created a Laboratory Safety Renovation Program to help address safety and compliance issues in laboratories.

The program was designed to award approximately $500,000 from deferred maintenance support funds. Proposals were sought in October and November, and the Laboratory Renovation Working Group reviewed and prioritized the proposals, which required matching funds from departments. Projects marked with an asterisk below indicate those that were removed from this program and will be completed with university education building funds.

• K-State Polytechnic School of Integrated Studies: Renovation of Integrated Sciences Lab, 115 Technology Center, $300,000.
• College of Veterinary Medicine, clinical sciences department: Replace wood cabinets and shelves in O-227 Mosier Hall, $11,323.
• Carl R. Ice College of Engineering, mechanical and nuclear engineering department: Replace fume hood in 140 Ward Hall, $180,000.
• Carl R. Ice College of Engineering, chemical engineering department: Install safety showers in eight Durland Hall labs, $58,000; replace compressed air lines in 12 Durland Hall labs, $72,000.
• College of Arts and Sciences, physics department: Remove asbestos from six teaching labs, $118,650*; improve graphene detonation lab, $150,000.
• College of Arts and Sciences, Division of Biology: Correct floor drainage, sloping and sealing in Ackert Hall fifth-floor mechanical room to prevent water leaks to fourth-floor lab, $19,625*; replace autoclaves used for steam sterilization in two labs, $79,500.
• College of Arts and Sciences, geology department: Replace and renovate fume hoods and install safety shower in 014D Thompson Hall, $206,500.
• Office of the Vice President for Research, Comparative Medicine Group: Upgrade HVAC system in Large Animal Research Center, $175,000.
• College of Agriculture, animal sciences and industry department: Replace eyewash stations in six Weber Hall labs and four Call Hall labs, $6,000.

Projects will begin in fiscal year 2019. Evaluation of the program will be completed this spring to identify areas of improvement prior to implementation of another program in fall 2019. Thank you to the departments who submitted proposals and to the members of the working group for development of the program and evaluation of the proposals.