The Environmental Health and Safety Laboratory Audit Team will be providing information on laboratory safety on a regular basis in these SAFETY ALERTS to better help lab personnel work safely.
During some recent laboratory audits, EHS noted these common laboratory safety deficiencies regarding biosafety cabinets.:
Past due certification on
Biological Safety Cabinets (BSC's). All cabinets need to be certified annually.
Recommendation: The contractor for cabinet certification needs to be contacted.
Suggested sources for certification of BSC's are now available on the EHS web site at
http://ehs.umaryland.edu/osh/cabinet.htm.
Use of Bunsen burners in the
BSC's.
Recommendation: Bunsen burners should not be used in BSC's. If one must be
used, then one with a pilot light should be chosen because the continuous flame of other
models can produce turbulence and the heat produced can damage the filter.
Excessive Equipment in
cabinet & blocking front intake grill. This can create excessive turbulence which can
put the technician at risk. Keep cabinet free of unnecessary equipment. Do not use cabinet
for storage.
Recommendation: Do not place items
over front grill (work 6" back) and do not block back grill.
Follow these additional guidelines to improve safe work with BSC's:
Do not allow others to walk rapidly behind you.
Be aware of drafts from ventilation systems, doors, windows, fans, etc.
Plan procedures carefully. Work should travel in one direction, L-R or R-L.
Minimize movement of contaminated items over clean items (work from clean to dirty).
Start-up and decontaminate with Wescodyne or suitable disinfectant. Let cabinet run at least 5 minutes to purge. Wipe each piece of equipment or apparatus.
Separate clean and contaminated items.
Hold tubes, bottles, and other vessels as horizontal as possible.
Use horizontal pipette discard pan with disinfectant. Do not use vertical canisters in or outside of cabinet.
Wrap ampule with alcohol swab when breaking open.
Ultraviolet lights are not needed if good technique is followed.
Do not overload cabinet. Nothing should pass out of cabinet until work is complete.
Place clean items toward front, contaminated to rear.
Use disposable loops, swabs, needles, syringes, etc. whenever possible.
Equipment that causes turbulence (centrifuge, blender, etc.) should be placed in back 1/3 of work surface. All other work should stop while apparatus is running.
Decontaminate after work is complete, purge 5 minutes.
Use 1:10 bleach solution, and/or Wescodyne for decontamination of work surfaces.
Wash hands and arms before and after work. Wear clean lab coat or gown and gloves.
Do not move arms in-out-across cabinet work area.
Note: Never work with biohazardous materials in a clean air bench.
Your help in improving safety at the
University is appreciated!
Safety Alert # 98-01
Safety Alert Archive