Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories: Overcoming Operational Challenges with Modern Design Solutions BIOSAFETY SOLUTIONS • Majority of laboratory traffic within each wing can occur within the open laboratory space. • Clear demarcation of Lab and Office Areas
Antiquated facilities and planning concepts result in biosafety, biosecurity, workflow, sample integrity, and operational challenges that in many cases can jeopardize AAVLD accreditation. Four case study design solutions for facilities of different ages are provided to illustrate challenges, shortcomings, and solutions from real-world examples of State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories.
MODERN VDL FACILITY, COMPLETED 2010
MODERN VDL FACILITY, COMPLETED 2017
CARCASS DISPOSAL CONCERNS • No carcass disposal system in the building. Carcasses must be transported to a nearby building
SAMPLE RECEIVING SOLUTIONS • Sample Entry Separate from Public Entry
BIOSECURITY SOLUTIONS • Clearly demarcated Lab Entrances with Access Control
BIOSECURITY CONCERNS • Visitors to Offices Pass Sample/Material Flow
for digestion.
• Spacious Receiving Dock/Lab
• Grand Lobby with Break and Collaboration Space SAMPLE RECEIVING SOLUTIONS • Necropsy Carcass Drop-Off Hidden from View and Away from Building Entrances
SAMPLE RECEIVING CONCERNS • After Hours Sample Drop-off In Lobby Vestibule
SAMPLE RECEIVING SOLUTIONS • Sample Entry Separate from Public Entry • Spacious Receiving Dock/Lab
WORKFLOW SOLUTIONS • Flexible Laboratory Casework to Allow Reconfiguration to Suit Process • BSL-3 Labs Available CARCASS DISPOSAL SOLUTIONS • Thermal Tissue Digester Provided. • Access for Maintenance Provided from Outside the Necropsy • Thru-Floor Design with Bioseal to allow Necropsy to operate at BSL-3
MODERN VDL FACILITY, COMPLETED 2017
• Ability to collect and treat liquid effluent from Necropsy via the Thermal Tissue Digester. BIOSECURITY SOLUTIONS • Clearly demarcated Lab Entrances with Access Control
BIOSAFETY SOLUTIONS • Majority of laboratory traffic within each wing can occur within the open laboratory space.
WORKFLOW SOLUTIONS • Close Proximity of Labs Within Central Lab Block for Shorter Travel
BIOSECURITY SOLUTIONS • Clearly demarcated Lab Entrances with Access Control
• Dedicated Vertical Circulation for Lab Traffic, Central to the Lab Block
BIOSAFETY SOLUTIONS • Laboratory traffic occurs entirely within the laboratory zone through a central traffic spine.
• Flexible Laboratory Casework to Allow Reconfiguration to Suit Process
• Office Traffic Completely Separate from Lab Traffic
• Public Zone Minimized to Lobby and Training / Amenity Spaces
• Entire Necropsy can Convert to BSL-3 Mode if needed to address suspect cases.
• Clear demarcation of Lab and Office Areas
• Laboratory traffic occurs entirely within the laboratory zone through a central traffic spine.
• Tours can be Given without Entering Lab Spaces, Views into Labs Around Entire Building
• Office Traffic Completely Separate from Lab Traffi
• Office areas secured via Access Control Barrier
• Tours can be Given without Entering Lab Spaces, Views into Labs Around Entire Building
WORKFLOW SOLUTIONS • Close Proximity of Labs for Shorter Travel
• Clear demarcation of Lab and Office Areas
• Incinerator Outside the Building without Direct Access to Building
• Clerestory Daylighting into Circulation Paths/Labs
BIOSAFETY CONCERNS • Laboratories Split by Lobby Zone with Break Area. Laboratory Sample, Material, and Waste Traffic crosses this zone. • Common Corridors with Shared Lab/Office Traffic
WORKER COMFORT/AMENITIES SOLUTIONS • Daylighting and Views for the Lab and Office Spaces • Grand Lobby with Break and Collaboration Space
EXAMPLE OF AN ANTIQUATED VDL FACILITY: ORIGINALLY DESIGNED IN 1967 WITH MULTIPLE RENOVATIONS/ADDITIONS
• Incineration: Environmental Concerns, Permitting Concerns
• Fitness Room with Lockers
WORKFLOW CONCERNS • Long Distances Between Some Lab Sections; Increased Sample Travel Time
SAMPLE RECEIVING SOLUTIONS • Necropsy Carcass Drop-Off Hidden from View and Away from Building Entrances
CARCASS DISPOSAL DEFICIENCIES • Antiquated & Unreliable Equipment
WORKER COMFORT/AMENITIES SOLUTIONS • Daylighting and Views for the Lab and Office Spaces; Views Across Offices with Daylighting from Clerestory Above
• Flexible Laboratory Casework to Allow Reconfiguration to Suit Process • BSL-3 Labs Available
BIOSECURITY CONCERNS • Sample/Material Flow Passes Through Public/Amenity Space • Tours of Lab requires entry to lab spaces. No views into the labs.
SAMPLE RECEIVING DEFICIENCIES • Bottleneck of Morning Deliveries, Inability to Handle Surges; No Sample Staging Space.
SAMPLE RECEIVING SOLUTIONS: • Sample Entry Separate from Public Entry
BIOSAFETY DEFICIENCIES • 2nd Floor Offices and Labs Share Corridors
• Necropsy carcass drop-off immediately adjacent to public entry; Perception Issues
• Spacious Receiving Dock/Lab
• Unclear Definition of Lab Coat Zone
• Shared Public Entry and Sample Entry
• Visitors to 2nd Floor Offices Pass Sample/Material Flow • Increased Risk of Accidents WORKFLOW DEFICIENCIES • Poor Lab Adjacencies
• Facility Tours Require Lab Coats and Lab Entry
• Side Effects of Piecemeal Building Expansion and Renovation
• Carcass Disposal Outside the Building without Direct Access to Building.
• Long Distances Between Some Lab Sections; Increased Sample Travel Time
• Grand Lobby with Break and Collaboration Space
BIOSAFETY CONCERNS • Laboratories Split by Public Zone with Break Area. Laboratory Sample, Material, and Waste Traffic crosses this zone. • Tours of Lab requires entry to lab spaces. No views into the labs.
• Clerestory Daylighting into Central Amenity Space
• Insufficient Space / Workspace in the Labs • Lack of Flexibility within the Spaces to Address Future Changes; Fixed Casework Systems
WORKER COMFORT/AMENITIES SOLUTIONS • Daylighting and Views for the Lab and Office Spaces; Labs on Exterior Walls
BIOSECURITY DEFICIENCIES • 2nd Floor Offices and Labs Share Corridors
CARCASS DISPOSAL SOLUTIONS • Incinerator Provided
WORKER COMFORT DEFICIENCIES • Minimal Views to the Exterior
• Accessible from Outside Necropsy for Maintenance
• Lack of Daylight into spaces
• Inadequate Access Control to Lab Spaces
• No Interior Transparency/Views
• Visitors to Offices Pass Sample/Material Flow
• Poor Light Quality within the spaces
• Facility Tours Require Lab Entry
• Lack of worker amentities
SAMPLE RECEIVING SOLUTIONS • Necropsy Carcass Drop-Off Hidden from View and Away from Building Entrances
• Maze-like Circulation Paths
Alex Clinton, Associate Principal, Senior Lab Planner
713.366.4027 / alex.clinton@perkinswill.com
With proper consideration in the planning of new facilities, modern Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories should be able to address and resolve the challenges of past generation buildings while also providing a more efficient workflow for quicker turnaround of results to their clients and quicker identification of potential disease risks to the livestock population.