 
      
Safe Use of Biological
Safety Cabinets
Guidelines for Work Preparation
- Check with a safety officer to make sure you are using the right
cabinet for your work.
- Make sure the cabinet has been certified within the last year.
- Make sure that the UV light is off whenever anyone is in the room
(If the UV light is on, keep sliding windows closed or place a shield
on fixed window openings.
- When you first turn the cabinet on, and if you do anything to
disturb the air in the cabinets, let it run for two or three minutes
to filter the air and establish air flow patterns.
- Disinfect the surface of the cabinet, being sure to select the
right disinfectant, one which will kill any microorganisms that
may exist.
- Check to be sure the window is in the correct position.
- Make sure the drain valve is closed.
- Have an accessible area for papers or pencils outside the cabinet,
so that grossly contaminated objects do not need to be placed inside
the cabinet.
- When setting up a procedure, make sure that everything needed
to complete the procedure is in the cabinet before beginning.
- Do not lock any of the grills in the cabinet.
- Segregate clean items from ones that will get contaminated.
Guidelines for Working in
the Cabinet
- Schedule uninterrupted work times and put a sign on the door stating
the cabinet is in use, as air turbulence disturbs air flow.
- Only one person should work in the cabinet at a time.
- The operator should be seated, with arm pits level with the bottom
of the window.
- Use good aseptic techniques.
- Use a limited number of slow movements in the cabinet, minimizing
entering and exiting.
- When you do enter or exit a cabinet, do so from straight on, allowing
the cabinet to stabilize.
- Locate the product upstream, airflow-wise, from hands, equipment,
and non-sterile items.
- Minimize movements of non-sterile items near sterile ones.
- Do not use an open flame in the cabinet.
- Post a copy of your institution’s protocol for handling spills.
- Never eat, drink, chew gum, store food, or smoke near the cabinet.
Guidelines for Cleanup Operations
- All equipment that has been in contact with the research agent
should be enclosed, and all surfaces disinfected.
- After removing everything from the cabinet, disinfect the inner
surfaces.
- Do not store equipment or supplies in the cabinet.
- If possible, leave the cabinet running. If it must be shut off,
do so after a final purge of two to three minutes, then close the
cabinet window completely.
This information was compiled and created by Val
Steinberg and David Gillum
at the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at the University
of Massachusetts - Amherst.
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