Professional laboratory environments enable a range of tasks. From conducting research and development to carrying out essential tests for medical purposes, these setups are vital to their organizations. Occasionally, your laboratory may need to relocate from one location to another. Depending on the circumstance you may need more space, less space or a more convenient location.
This process is different and more complex than moving a regular office, with some challenges specific to labs. These setups typically contain a variety of high-tech, bulky, highly sensitive equipment. Maintaining functionality and reliability from one location to another is critical. Proper handling and safety precautions are also essential for chemicals and lab materials that may pose a potential hazard. Lab moves usually have a tight timetable to keep equipment downtime minimal.
So, how do you plan a lab move? Break the process into specific stages and ensure you have a holistic view before you begin. Proper planning, a professional relocation partner, and a thorough checklist for each stage are essential. Here’s what to know.
Stage 1: Assessing Needs and Making Plans
The planning phase is the most fundamental part of executing a laboratory move. Thorough organizing ensures a procedure is set for everything from large, indispensable pieces of equipment to the smallest samples. A plan helps keep track of everything and provides guidelines for how to move everything. The core parts of planning include:
- Taking inventory. Take note of everything you have and everything that needs to move. After the move, you’ll use this inventory to double-check that everything arrived at the new location.
- Singling out mission-critical equipment. This category includes sensitive, delicate hardware and equipment essential to lab operations. Special handling procedures and priority should apply to these items.
- Timeline building. Determine when to complete the move and how long it will take to prepare the lab, move the items, and complete a new setup.
- How you’ll conduct pre-move preparations, including preparing equipment for transport. Involve appropriate stakeholders across your team to ensure everyone’s perspective is considered to avoid surprises and bottlenecks later.
As you consider how to plan a lab move, don’t overlook the importance of an experienced moving team.
Stage 2: Partnering With an Expert Lab Mover
One can’t hire a general moving business to fulfill this job; it requires a specialized approach and experience. Working with a professional lab moving company guarantees you partner with a team that understands the nuances of this process, including the importance of the planning phase. A strong partner delivers robust support in areas of preparation such as:
- Assisting with inventorying items and providing proper labels for all equipment and materials.
- Undertaking the appropriate and safe packaging procedures for items such as chemicals, reagents, solutions and other lab consumables.
- Consulting on the calibration and testing of equipment before movement to check functionality and provide a baseline for post-move re-calibration.
- Decommissioning equipment to make it safe for removal or transportation.
Remember to involve essential decision-makers during this stage, including facility administrators, lab managers, and regular personnel. By collaborating, you can confidently prepare and execute a lab move.
Stage 3: Re-Establishing the Lab Environment
After thorough planning and preparation, your moving partner will transfer all the equipment and items to your new location. How long does it take to move a lab? The answer varies based on the size of the lab, the distance of the move, and the complexity of the equipment involved. It may take several months to plan and execute a move involving sensitive equipment thoroughly. Work with your provider to ensure clarity of timing to meet specific deadlines.
Laying the groundwork for setting up your new space is part of planning. The inventory will require re-validation to ensure that everything from the original space has arrived intact. Equipment will need reassembly, thorough testing, and, if necessary, re-calibration to the specifications determined before moving. Ensuring you meet any regulatory requirements, such as a clean room requirement or safety thresholds, is part of this stage.
Find Guidance and Support for Your Lab Move
Moving a lab is a big undertaking that requires detailed planning and thinking ahead of time. When executed successfully, you can smooth out the transition between locations, keeping downtime to a minimum and bringing your lab back up to speed as soon as possible after the move. With help from the moving experts at Meyer, you can lay the groundwork for a safe, successful move.
At Meyer, our team understands how to plan a lab move from start to finish. We’re OSHA-10 certified in handling medical equipment and laboratory devices, and our moving teams have up-to-date training on all the appropriate PPE precautions necessary in some lab environments. We field a specialized fleet of equipment that facilitates the excellent outcomes we provide during this service.
Request a quote or give us a call at 1-800-727-5985 today to discuss how we can arrange your lab move.
