How can one determine if a laboratory is pre-existing or new?

Determining whether a laboratory is pre-existing or new is effectively done by checking the permit type. Permits are legal documents that indicate the status of a laboratory's establishment and operation within regulatory frameworks. New laboratories must typically apply for specific permits that comply with current regulations, which can include safety assessments, zoning, and usage restrictions. In contrast, pre-existing laboratories would already have established permits reflecting their operational status prior to recent changes in regulation or upgrades.

The other options may provide additional context or insights regarding the laboratory's characteristics but do not definitively establish whether the laboratory is new or pre-existing. For example, size and equipment may vary widely among both new and existing laboratories and therefore do not provide a concrete indicator of their establishment date. Similarly, location and proximity matter for aspects like safety and zoning but do not inform an inspector or operator about when the laboratory was authorized to operate. Lastly, the number of staff could indicate operational capacity rather than the age or status of the lab itself, and thus isn't a reliable measure for determining whether a lab is new or pre-existing.