Biological Safety Cabinets

A Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) - a device that provides a barrier and contains infectious splashes and aerosols - is an important piece of an overall biosafety program. Used correctly, BSC's protect people, product, and the environment, and they can be the primary means of containment when working with infectious organisms.

In spite of the BSC's usefulness in the laboratory, however, it can only assist and cannot replace the routine and consistent practice of good microbiological techniques. Here is a list of work practices and procedures that will offer the maximum protection afforded by the BSC:

• Keep a written checklist of materials at hand.
• Use an in-line HEPA filter (or equivalent) in aspirating setup.
• Absorbent matting can be used on the work surface of the cabinet, but not on the rear or front grilles.
• Operate cabinet blowers for at least 3-5 minutes before beginning work.
• Place materials in the BSC before work. Do not place unnecessary supplies in the cabinet. Place materials as far back in the cabinet as practical. (This is particularly important for aerosol generating equipment.)
• Wipe down, with appropriate disinfectant, the work surface, interior walls, the surface of any materials placed in the BSC, and the interior surface of the window before and after work.
• Adjust the height of the chair so your face is above the front opening.
• Wear gloves and a lab coat; be sure to cover the area between the end of the glove and the lab coat cuff.
• Close the drain valve under the work surface.
• Wait one minute after placing arms and hands into the cabinet before starting to work.
• Raise arms slightly off the front grille. Do not block the front grille.
• Work should be performed at least 4 inches from the inside edge.
• Workflow should be from clean to dirty.

Laboratory personnel are safest when safety equipment such as BSC's work hand-in-hand with sound laboratory practices. Make sure that your facility is equipped for the particular hazards you may encounter, and also that you know how to use the equipment properly.

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Safety Partners efficiently and cost-effectively implements hands-on environmental, health, and safety (EHS) programs at emerging life sciences companies. Safety Partners tailors its programs to each client's unique science, processes, procedures, and facilities, while reducing program implementation burdens. Its expertise is unmatched, clocking over 85,000 hours at over 120 New England life sciences firms.