LSC reopened

MONDAY, 4 A.M. UPDATE:

The Life Sciences Centre will reopen for normal activities thismorning, as usual.  Over the weekend the building underwentextensive cleaning and testing following the detection of smallamounts of asbestos Thursday.

SUNDAY, 10 P.M. UPDATE:

The Life Science Centre remains closed.  Work is proceedingto ensure complete safety.  An update will be posted here by 6a.m.

FRIDAY, 9:30 P.M. UPDATE: LSC closed forthe weekend

Researchers and others who have legitimate and pressing reasonsto enter the building can be authorized to do so by the dean ofscience, and once authorized will be escorted to theirdestination.  As an added precaution, those who enter theBiology Tower or common areas will be required to wear protectivegear.

Trace amounts of asbestos were detected Thursday on the biologyloading dock, and risk to the health of anyone in or around thebuilding is considered minimal.  However, and despite theinconvenience to some of those who work in the building, Provostand VP Academic Alan Shaver decided Friday evening to order thebuilding closed.

“Given the level of risk is minimal or non-existent,depending on the area, I know some will say this is going toofar,” said Dr. Shaver, “But we determined that no riskis acceptable when we’re dealing with people’shealth.”

Areas of the building, other than the Biology Tower, were openFriday, following extensive cleaning and testing.  However,late Friday the university received an order from the provincialDepartment of Labour to secure all “suspect” areas ofthe building for more cleaning and tests.  Those areas werethe Biology Tower and common areas.

The cleaning and tests may be completed this weekend, in whichcase the building will likely return to normal use Monday. But further notices will be posted here and on the Dalhousie homepage as required.

FRIDAY, 11:30 A.M. UPDATE: LSC Common Areanow open

The common area in the LSC is nowopen.(Bruce Bottomley Photo)

The common area and associated classrooms in the Life SciencesCentre are now reopened. The Biology tower remains closed whilefurther testing by the Department of Labour and Dalhousie’sEnvironmental Health and Safety Office takes place.

Thorough HEPA-vacuum cleaning of the opened areas has beencompleted and air-quality testing of these areas has shown notraces of asbestos fibres. We will update on the status of theBiology tower as further information becomes available.

Previous story below:

Trace amounts of asbestos were detected on the biology loadingdock of the Life Science Centre Thursday. The Nova ScotiaDepartment of Labour says while any risk to the health of peopleusing the building is minimal, a decision was made to close partsof the structure for cleaning and further testing.

As a result, the biology tower and common area of the LifeSciences Centre will be closed Friday. Please check Dal News forupdates in case of change.

Should the building remain closed on Friday, the last day ofclasses for the term, students should contact their professors orinstructors to find out about alternative arrangements for classesor exams.

On Thursday morning, the building was briefly evacuated after analarm was pulled due to concerns about possible presence ofasbestos. Dal News reported that no asbestos was found, and thebuilding was reopened. That earlier report was based on initial andincomplete information and subsequent testing did detect smallamounts of asbestos in the area of the loading dock.

The LSC, which is home to much of Dalhousie’s Faculty ofScience, is undergoing extensive renovations to upgrade mechanicalsystems and make the building more environmentally sound.