Facility Suitability Assessment

VCU Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) works with VCU Facilities Management Engineering and Utilities and Space Management to evaluate spaces where hazardous materials are used or stored. Completing a Facility Suitability Assessment (FSA) ensures that laboratories, shops and maker spaces are safely designed, equipped with proper ventilation and engineering controls, and compliant with all regulations before work begins.

Facility Suitability Assessment form

When is an assessment is required

Project managers, department leadership or Principal Investigators (PIs) must submit an FSA for any of the following:

• New PIs or relocations: Evaluating space assignments for new faculty before they arrive or moving existing labs that use hazardous materials.
• Renovations and construction: Design and planning phases for new builds or renovations.
• Scope and hazard changes: Introducing new hazards, changing research scope or increasing chemical, biological or radiation risk levels (e.g., adding pyrophoric chemicals, BSL2 materials or hazardous gases).
• New equipment: Adding equipment that generates aerosols or fumes (e.g., 3D printers or benchtop systems that cannot fit in a hood) or purchasing new engineering controls (e.g., fume hoods, biosafety cabinets and glove boxes).

Review process

Once an FSA form is submitted, the request goes through the following review process: 

• Submission: The PI, project manager or department lead submits the online FSA form.
• Space verification: Space Management confirms space ownership.
• Hazard evaluation: OHS reviews the hazards, determines required safety controls (including eyewashes and safety showers), and assigns chemical and biosafety levels.
• Ventilation review: Engineering checks whether current HVAC and exhaust systems can safely support the assigned safety levels.
• Final review and report: OHS conducts a final suitability review and issues an assessment report to the requester.

The final report details current space capabilities, necessary upgrades, required engineering controls and equipment, and any operational limits for the space. If a space is not suitable, OHS will work with the requestor to identify needed modifications or evaluate alternative spaces.