Science buildings—laboratories, equipment and hazardous substances

Laboratories are located at Kelburn campus, Wellington Hospital, Seaview, and at the Ferrier and Paihau—Robinson Research Institutes in Gracefield.

Contractors cannot enter a laboratory unless escorted by the laboratory manager or by arrangement with the laboratory managers.

The laboratory managers will specify the times the labs will be available for safe access. There may be specific PPE needed or procedures required before you can enter the laboratory.

Laboratory locations and hazards

  • Kelburn Campus
    • Central Services Building – fume cabinet (FC), hazardous substance cabinet (HSC)
    • Cotton Building – FC, HSC
    • Laby Building – FC, HSC, hazardous substance stores (HSS)
    • Alan MacDiarmid Building – FC, HSC
    • Easterfield – FC, HSC
    • New Kirk ­– FC
  • Coastal Ecology Laboratory in Seaview – HSC
  • School of Biological Science laboratory at Wellington Hospital – FH, HSC
  • Ferrier Research Institute in Gracefield – FC, HSC
  • Paihau—Robinson Research Institute in Gracefield – FC, HSC

Fume cabinets

These are ventilation systems designed to extract chemical fumes from inside laboratories. They are a risk mitigation tool for the laboratory users when carrying out hazardous laboratory work. They contain fire suppression systems—either sprinklers or a dry-powder deployment system.

Any work that may affect the functionality of a fume cabinet needs permission from your University liaison.

Fume cabinets must be isolated if a worker is required to carry out a task where they can potentially breathe in fumes from a fume cabinet’s roof exhaust flues. Laboratory managers require five working days warning before an isolation can take place.

Fire isolations for laboratories

Laboratory managers require at least five working days’ notice before sprinkler, dry-powder or fire alarm isolations.

Find out more about fire prevention.

Hazardous substance cabinets

Many laboratories have locked cabinets designed to contain toxic, corrosive, biological or flammable substances. Depending on the substances and volumes contained inside, there may be a flammable atmosphere around the cabinet.

Ignition sources (that is, electrical equipment or anything that generates a flame) cannot be used inside the hazardous zone unless they are certified and maintained as ‘intrinsically safe’ as per AS/NZS 60079.11.2011: Explosive atmospheres – Part 11: Equipment protection by intrinsic safety ‘i’.

Check with the laboratory manager about any potential flammable atmosphere before starting work.

Hazardous substance stores

Some science buildings have storage rooms designed to store hazardous substances. Any work in or near a chemical substance store must be discussed with your University liaison before work starts.

This includes:

  • hot works
  • wall penetrations or demolition work
  • work that will cause vibrations
  • isolations to sprinklers or alarm system
  • introduction of ignition sources (electrical equipment or tools that use a flame/heat)
  • introduction of chemicals
  • use of portable machines with a fuel source
  • changes to room ventilation
  • any work inside or near a fuel store.