The tenant improvement at the California Department of Food & Agriculture Laboratory is now complete! The laboratory, located in Anaheim, CA is a single-story building housing a section of the Center for Analytical Chemistry (CAC) and the Southern office of the State’s Division of Measurement Standards (DMS). Each group plays an important role in protecting California consumers.
The CAC uses state-of-the-art equipment and processes to test fruits, vegetables, nuts, animal feed and milk to ensure that pesticide and chemical levels are within the safety range established by national and international standards.
The DMS labs test samples of petroleum diesel for meeting specifications and now houses the State’s only hydrogen fuel testing facility to meet the needs of the State’s burgeoning hydrogen infrastructure.
This laboratory renovation included phased construction to minimize down-time when working beside functioning labs and ensuring the fire-life-safety systems remained operational. In addition to laboratory upgrades, HVAC systems required structural upgrades to the roof, flexibility improvements were made to the labs by moving utilities to overhead service carriers and fixed casework was replaced with movable tables. A centralized storage room for gas cylinders and dewars (cryogenic storage which is a specialized type of vacuum flask used for storing cryogens, whose boiling points are much lower than room temperature), was created, as well as specialty gases piped throughout the lab. Safety improvements included egress from the labs, as well as fire-resistant walls that separate labs from offices and each other.
Furthermore, safety eyewash and shower units, as well as new fume hoods, were added while existing fume hoods were reconditioned. In addition to the lab upgrades, support areas were completely renovated including support offices and restrooms. Finally, accessibility improvements were made to bring the building up to code.
Congratulations to the entire Science and Technology Team on the completion of this transformative laboratory! Check out the gallery below for the final photos of this transformation!
