Maintaining safe environments around high-risk operations

Federal agency space and project managers who work with us to replace or get space must identify identify and address any high-risk operations.

Your operations must:

• Not pose a fire or safety risk within our shared facilities.
• Meet OSHA requirements as outlined at 29 CFR 1960.34(a)(7).

Defining high-risk operations

High-risk operations include high-risk labs, firing ranges, and explosive materials storage. If you operate this space, you will have minimum safety and fire technical requirements to fulfill in your project development and management.

If you simply store small arms ammunition, we do not consider it a high-risk operation.

High-risk labs

If you have space that you dedicate solely to biological, microbiological, chemical, or physical testing, analysis, or research that includes, but is not limited to, using or handling:

• Oxidizers
• Toxic substances
• Peroxides
• Infectious agents
• Radioactive materials
• Flammable substances

High-risk labs commonly include:

• Security measures that prevent unauthorized access.
• A fire barrier with a fire-resistance rating of not less than one hour separating the area from other spaces.
• An automatic extinguishing system such as an automatic sprinkler system.
• A dedicated HVAC system that:
  • Does not mix with other areas of the building.
  • Has no recirculated air, also known as 100% pass-through.
  • Operates at a negative pressure relative to the rest of the facility.
• Specialized mechanical systems such as ducted laboratory exhaust fume hoods or bio-safety cabinets with no recirculated air.
• Specialized plumbing systems such as compressed gas lines, chemical waste traps, sink aspirators, eyewash stations, or emergency showers.
• The storage or regular use of reagents, solvents, chemicals, or compressed gasses such as cylinders or piping.

High-risk laboratories do not include:

• Office space.
• Storage space.
• Warehouse space.
• Similarly constructed space you use to perform limited lab-support activities, such as sample collection, preparation, storage, or test kit assays.

We do not consider these to be high-risk labs even when they include partial space renovation or the use of some small amounts of chemical reagents or portable equipment for testing, sampling, or both.

An example is a biological lab with a Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention biosafety level 1 to 4.

Explosive materials storage

You have high-risk operations if you store explosive materials including:

• Dynamite
• Black powder
• Pellet powder
• Initiating explosives
• Detonators
• Detonating cord
• Igniters
• Igniting cord
• Emulsion explosives

Developing requirements

You must identify high-risk operations during your space’s planning phase and include location and adjacency considerations. When you work with us to complete a client project agreement and go through the requirements development process, you must complete GSA Form 12002. Our planning managers will work with you to complete this form.

Our project managers will collaborate with you and the appropriate environmental, health, safety, and fire protection professionals to develop technical requirements that address fire or safety protection issues in high-risk operations.