V. BIOSAFETY CABINETS (BSCs)  print this page
Do you have a laminar flow clean bench in the lab?		If YES, then		Laminar flow clean benches (horizontal or vertical) are inappropriate for use with any potentially biohazardous material including human source material (clinical specimens, blood, tissue, etc.), infectious agents, or infected or uninfected animal tissue. Laminar flow clean benches are inappropriate for use with animals (lab animal allergy), hazardous chemicals and volatile radioisotopes. Click here for more detailed information.
Do you have any Biosafety Cabinets (BSCs)?		If NO, then		Continue to next section (Centrifuge).
BSC’s are located away from doors, windows that open, and from heavy traffic areas in the laboratory.		If NO, then		Contact EHRS prior to relocating your BSC.
Has the BSC been certified within the last year?		If NO, then		Contact EHRS to have your BSC certified. BSC’s must be certified at installation, on an annual basis, and whenever the BSC is moved.
Flame producing devices are in use in the BSC.		If NO, then		Devices with open flames can disrupt the protective airflow patterns and damage the HEPA filters. Use a touch plate burner equipped with a pilot light to provide a flame on demand. Click here for more information.
There is no storage on the front air grille of the BSC.		If NO, then		The front air grille must not be blocked with research notes, discarded plastic wrappers, writing utensils, pipetting devices, etc. Materials placed on the front air grille cause disruption to the airflow, resulting in turbulence, possible cross-contamination and/or breach of containment. Click here for more information.
There are emergency shut-off valves for the gas and vacuum supply.		If NO, then		All non-electrical services should have clearly marked and accessible emergency shut-off valves on the outside of the BSC. Contact your Building Administrator to schedule such work.
Secondary containment for vacuum traps are in place.		If NO, then		Do not store unprotected glass vacuum traps on the laboratory floor. Relocate the traps or place them in secondary containers. Click for more information on vacuum supply protection measures. [pdf]
Does the BSC have a UV lamp?		If YES, then		The use of UV lamps is NOT recommended in BSC’s. UV lamp switches should be interlocked so that the UV lamp is off when the BSC is in use. If left on while working, UV lights can burn the cornea(s) and skin. Users should clean UV lamps weekly to remove dust and dirt and test the UV lamps periodically to ensure germicidal effectiveness. Click here for the UV Fact Sheet [pdf].
Do you use volatile chemicals or radioisotopes in your BSC?		If YES, then		Do not use volatile or toxic chemicals and volatile radionuclides such as I125 in a Class IIA BSC that recirculates exhaust air back into the room (not ducted to the outside of the building). Contact EHRS about the safe use of these materials.
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