DO place containment trays or absorbent pads under experiments to catch spills and ease clean up where possible.

DO operate the sash at the cabinet manufacturer's design criteria, i.e. 8" or 10"; keep all materials at least 4" inside the sash.

DO use only grounded electrical equipment inside the cabinet.

DO operate the cabinet for approximately 10 minutes prior to use.

DO wipe down unit work surface with appropriate disinfectant prior to using the cabinet for sterility purposes and after use.

DO use the cabinet in conjunction with good microbiological techniques.

DO planning, start-up, wipe down, loading, work practice, purging, unloading, final wipe down and shut down conscientiously.

DO monitor alarms, pressure gauges or flow indicators for any major fluctuation or changes possibly indicating a problem with the unit. Immediately notify EHRS of cabinets which are not operating properly.

DO monitor the pressure gauge (if provided), for a pressure variation of no more than +/- 2 minor scale divisions. A sustained variance greater than +/- 2 scale divisions must be reported for investigation.

DO limit traffic in the area when the cabinet is in use.

DON'T use a Biological Safety Cabinet unless there is a current certification label attached.

DON'T overload the containment area or block front, side or rear air grills which will reduce or restrict airflow and compromise product protection and/or personnel protection.

DON'T use the cabinet for storage when more appropriate devices are available.

DON'T change baffle, damper, speed control settings.

DON'T change, or disable exhaust low flow alarm settings (if equipped).

DON'T place items on top of unit blocking or damaging exhaust filter.

DON'T remove the cabinet sash, work surface, or grills.

DON'T lean into the cabinet so that the user's head is inside the plane of the cabinet's face without adequate PPE except for work or maintenance with all hazardous materials removed.

DON'T turn off cabinet or close sash window, if hard-ducted to in-house exhaust system.

DON'T leave an ultraviolet light on while working in the cabinet or when occupants are in the laboratory.

DON'T incorporate procedures or techniques that disrupt the air flow patterns of the cabinet.

DON'T use open flames in cabinets, particularly when units have airflow monitoring devices installed.