Facilities

Navigating who to contact when something goes wrong or when you need facilities work done is confusing. Please use this guide to ensure issues are routed correctly and handled quickly. If you are locked out of the building outside of building hours, contact PSECC at 612-626-3680.

1. Emergencies & Life Safety

• Action: Call 911 immediately.

• Physical Danger: If the situation poses an immediate physical threat, vacate the building before making the call. 

2. Urgent Facilities Issues 

Examples: Active water leaks from ceilings, major power outages, or other urgent non-life-threatening damage that needs immediate response.

• Action:  Call the University Services Customer Support (previously the Facilities Management Call Center aka FMCC) at ext. 4-2900 or 612-624-2900 to submit a work order. Tell them it is an emergency and that research is in jeopardy. 

• After-Hours Support: If you call after hours, you will hear a recorded message stating the call center is closed and that you are being transferred to the Public Safety Emergency Communications Center (PSECC). Do not hang up. They have the authority to dispatch FM staff after hours to investigate and resolve urgent issues.

• Follow-Up with CBS: Researchers should also notify Christina Kramer via email (or by phone at 612-979-3927 if very urgent) after calling the FM Call Center so she can monitor the situation.

3. Non-Urgent Maintenance/Repair 

Examples: A dripping faucet, minor door hardware repairs, or routine light replacement.

• Action: Email Annie Yetter at ayetter@umn.edu.

• Process: Annie will submit the work order on your behalf to track its completion and keep your lab updated on progress.

4. Facilities Projects & Lab Modifications

Examples: Installing new electrical outlets, hanging shelves, or piping utilities to new areas.

• Action: Reach out to Annie Yetter as early in your planning process as possible.

• Process: Annie will request an estimate from FM for approval by the PI. She will handle site meetings with FM and coordinate the work around your lab's schedule. Annie will submit the work order on your behalf to track its completion and keep your lab updated on progress.

5. Equipment Purchases & Utility Reviews

When purchasing or acquiring any equipment that sits on the floor, requires utilities beyond standard bench power and gas, or has specific HVAC requirements, review your plans with Annie Yetter prior to placing the order. We must verify ahead of time that:

1. The equipment will fit through all doorways, hallways, and elevators on its delivery route.

2. The final lab location meets all physical dimensions and load requirements.

3. Your space has the required utility connections.

WHAT TO DO IF FM ASKS FOR A BUDGET NUMBER / CHARTFIELD

FM pays the costs of repair to the building, but will not cover the costs of equipment repair or changes to our spaces, like adding outlets or hanging shelves, with few exceptions.  If you call in an issue, the call center will ask for a budget number / chartfield for work not covered by FM.  FM pays for all work on walk-in temperature control rooms (like cold rooms, warm rooms or growth chambers) and FMCC should not require a budget number / chartfield.  

If you think FM is asking for a chartstring in error, please contact Annie Yetter during business hours or Christina Kramer at 612-979-3927 after hours.

When you give the FM Call Center a budget number/chartfield, you are authorizing the work to be completed. Do not give a budget number/chartfield if you want to approve a cost estimate before work starts. In this case, contact Annie Yetter. 

CAN FM REPAIR LAB EQUIPMENT? 

While FM does have the ability to repair lab equipment, the college does not recommend using FM. There are a number of internal ISOs and external companies that can provide a faster turnaround. Please contact Annie Yetter for more information. 

WHAT TO DO IF AN INSPECTOR SHOWS UP REQUESTING ACCESS TO THE LAB

The University has routine inspections of laboratory spaces from a number of different agencies. Typically, all inspections are accompanied by a University of Minnesota employee from Health Safety and Risk Management (HSRM).  If an inspector requests access to the lab or building, do the following steps:

1. Ask to see identification from an inspector and ask if they are accompanied by an employee. Ask to see the employee’s identification as well. 

2. In the event they are not accompanied, ask the inspector to wait outside the lab while you call HSRM at (612) 626-6002. HSRM will send someone to accompany the inspector.

3. If the inspector will not wait or will not produce identification, call 911 and ask UMPD to respond to the scene. This individual is now an unknown and unauthorized individual on campus and UMPD will handle the situation.

WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A CHEMICAL SPILL

For incidents that do not pose an emergency situation but assistance from HSRM is needed, dial (612) 626-6002. If calling after hours, the phone auto-attendant will provide instructions on how to contact HSRM on-call personnel. If you are unable to contact HSRM, dial 911 and report to the dispatcher that you have a non-emergency situation and would like to consult with HSRM.

For example: Non-emergency chemical spills that cannot be safely cleaned up by lab personnel because of its chemical properties and/or volume of material spilled, but does not threaten human health and/or the environment and does not involve a serious injury: If you are unsure of whether the incident is an emergency situation or not, always err on the side of caution and dial 911.

Electronics Recycling

Electronic recycling can be found on the loading dock in the Biological Sciences Building. All computers must be returned to 140 Gortner to be wiped by RLT before their disposal.  

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