Benchtops and furniture are impervious

Furniture in the lab must be appropriate for the anticipated use. Bench tops must be impervious to water and resistant to heat, organic solvents, acids, alkalis and other chemicals. Chairs and other furniture must be covered with a non-porous material that can be easily cleaned and disinfected.

References:

• NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules. April 2019. Appendix G-II-A-4-b, c and d., L-II-C-2-b-(6) and L-II-D-2-a-(7).
• Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories. HHS Publication No. (CDC) 21- 1112, 5th Edition.
• MSU Biosafety Manual MSU Chemical Hygiene Plan

Corrective actions:

Evaluate benchtops and chairs used in the laboratory. If fabric chairs are present replace them with non-porous chairs. If replacement is not possible cover chairs with impervious material such as a plastic barrier, check integrity frequently and replace when necessary.