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TIPS FOR WORKING

SAFELY IN YOUR

BIOLOGICAL SAFETY CABINET

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KNOW YOUR AIRFLOW

Biological Safety Cabinets provide personnel, product and environmental protection through the use of HEPA filtered air. Knowing how the air is passed through the cabinet an essential piece of the puzzle to know.

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WORK AT THE PROPER SASH LEVEL

Proper airflows are reached by a certifier measuring air speed on an annual basis (or more) to put a stamp of approval that the cabinet is fully operation to provide personnel, product, and environmental protection.

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NEVER COVER THE AIR GRILL

Covering the air grill at the front of the cabinet compromises airflow integrity. Blocking the grill can cause laboratory air to enter the work zone or even work zone air to enter the laboratory environment.

PS. This goes for your elbows and arms as well. NuAire offers elbow rest accessories to avoid this occurrence.

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MINIMIZE MOVEMENT

The rapid movement of a worker’s arms in a sweeping motion into and out of the cabinet will disrupt the air curtain and may compromise the partial barrier containment provided by the BSC.

Moving arms in and out slowly, perpendicular to the face opening of the cabinet, will reduce this risk. Other personnel activities in the room (e.g., rapid movement, open/closing room doors, etc.) may also disrupt the cabinet air barrier.

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REDUCE SPLATTER

Many common procedures conducted in Biological Safety Cabinets may create splatter or aerosols. Good microbiological techniques should always be used when working in a Biological Safety Cabinet to minimize this potential.

For example, techniques to reduces platter and aerosol generation will minimize the-potential for personnel exposure to infectious materials manipulated within the cabinet.

Class II cabinets are designed so that horizontally nebulized spores will be captured by the downward flowing cabinet air within fourteen inches (35 cm) of travel. As a general rule of thumb, keeping clean materials at least twelve inches (31 cm) away from aerosol-generating activities will minimize the potential for cross-contamination.

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KNOW YOUR WORK AREA

The middle third of the work surface is the ideal area to be used. All operations should be performed at least 4 inches from the front grille on the work surface.

Materials or equipment placed inside the cabinet may cause disruption to the airflow, resulting in turbulence, possible cross-contamination, and/or breach of containment.

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WORK FROM CLEAN TO CONTAMINATED

Active work should flow from the clean to contaminated area across the work surface. Materials and supplies should be placed in such a way as to limit the movement of “dirty” items over “clean” ones. Maintain proper balance of materials from left to right in order to prevent an airflow imbalance within the work zone. Bulky items such as biohazard bags, discard pipette trays and suction collection flasks should be placed to one side of the interior of the cabinet. All materials should be placed as far back in the cabinet as practical, toward the rear edge of the work surface and away from the front grille of the cabinet. Similarly, aerosol-generating equipment (e.g., vortex mixers, tabletop centrifuges) should be placed toward the rear of the cabinet to take advantage of the air split.

CLEAN WORK AREA DIRTY

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WORKING WITH TUBES/BOTTLES

Open tubes or bottles should NOT be held in a vertical position. Bottle or tube caps should not be placed on the toweling. Items should be recapped or covered as soon as possible.

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WORKING WITH PETRI DISHES

Investigators working with Petri dishes and tissue culture plates should hold the lid above the open sterile surface to minimize direct impaction of downward air.

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WORKING WITH ASPIRATOR BOTTLES OR SUCTION FLASKS

Aspirator bottles or suction flasks should be connected to an overflow collection flask containing appropriate disinfectant, and to an in-line HEPA or equivalent filter.This combination will provide protection to the central building vacuum system or vacuum pump, as well as to the personnel who service this equipment. Inactivation of aspirated materials can be accomplished by placing sufficient chemical decontamination solution into the flask to kill the microorganisms as they are collected. Once inactivation occurs, liquid materials can be disposed of appropriately as noninfectious waste.

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WATCH WHERE YOU ARE WALKING

You don’t have to be working in the biological safety cabinet to cause airflow disruptions and the potential for contamination. By walking too quickly pass a biological safety cabinet you disturb the protective air curtain at the front of the cabinet. This disruption can lead to contaminated work zone air to enter the laboratory environment or even contaminated laboratory air to enter sterile work zone.

Remember to slow down and avoid walking too close. A good idea might be to create a working / no walking zone in front of the cabinet with either tape or paint.

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POSITIONING YOURSELF WHEN WORKING

Working in a biological safety cabinet requires repetitive work. Ergonomics plays a huge role during your time in front of a biological safety cabinet. A good laboratory chair helps a ton. Remember 90 degree angles can help prevent work place injuries. A straight upright back can save you from pain in the long run. Over extending your arms can cause stress on your shoulders and back. Remember to keep straight wrists and think about becoming ambidextrous with your pipette to give your tendons a reset once in a while or even try different types of pipettes in one sitting to work different muscles and tendons. Remember the way you sit and operate in a Biological Safety Cabinet not only can have an effect on your wellbeing but could cause work mishaps when your concentrating more on a sharp pain than where you might be sticking a needle. 90° Seating Angle 90° Knee Angle Foot Rest Straight Wrists

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CONTROL PANEL CHECK(OPTIMAL AIRFLOW/DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE AND ALARM

RESPONSE)

Personnel, product and environmental protection are what a Biological Safety Cabinet provides. This is down through airflows, a motor and HEPA filters. If a motor is not running properly or a HEPA filter has reached its maximum life a Biological Safety Cabinet can compromise your three protection areas and destroy your work or even worse if someone becomes sick.A majority of Biological Safety Cabinets will feature some type of pressure or airflow monitor. Half of those Biological Safety Cabinets will have some type of alarm to notify you airflow is NOT optimal. Others will feature a mini or mage-helic gauge to monitor pressure. These models do not feature an alarm so a daily safety check will have to be made before you begin work. A good idea would be to place this at the top of your standard operating procedure or even place a sticker (if allowed) around the monitor saying “CHECK ME PLEASE”.

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