What’s the VAS-lab?
The VAS-lab is a new facility which allows us to work with highly toxic compounds in a safe and controlled environment. Highly toxic compounds means: carcinogenic, mutagenic, reproductive toxic and very toxic compounds as well by inhalation sensitizing compounds.
The VAS-lab contains 4 areas: an anteroom/changing room, a storage room, a weighing lab and a research lab (ML-II).
Why?
By providing this facility, the UM/FHML has set a goal to minimize potential exposure to zero, as far as possible. In this way, the UM wants to ensure the safety of its employees.
The facility is supervised by CRISP and will be managed by Marcel van Herwijnen (TGX). The contact person at the department is the chemical administrator.
How to get acces?
Are you planning to use a compound which belongs to one of the categories above? Please contact the chemical administrator of your department.
In consultation with the chemical administrator it will be determined whether the use of the VAS lab is necessary. For occasional use of the VAS-lab, the chemicals administrator will refer you to an authorized person within the department. This is because of the time investment needed for training and guidance. If you want to use the VAS-lab more frequently, the chemical administrator will refer you to the manager of the VAS-lab. After successful completion of a short training, it is possible to get access to the VAS lab.
An employment contract at the UM is required to get access to the VAS lab (a registration is not sufficient). Students or trainees are not allowed to get access to the VAS lab.
Research lab (ML-II)
Check in advance whether you want to use the storage room and weighing lab or the research lab as well. Due to the ML-II classification of the research lab, an additional approval from the Biological Safety Officer is needed.
Procedures and instructions: