Biological Safety Cabinets
What are Biological Safety Cabinets?
Biological safety cabinets are designed to provide both a clean work environment and protection for employees who work with biological hazards. They use vertical laminar airflow to create a barrier to airborne particles, such as microorganisms. High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are used to clean air going into the work area and out to the environment. The HEPA filter removes airborne particles from the air, but does not remove chemical fumes. A biosafety cabinet is different from a chemical fume hood, which are only designed to remove (not decontaminate) chemical fumes and aerosols away from the work area. A single exception is a specific special model of Class II Type B2 biological safety cabinet that is UL classified as a fume hood.
When should I use one?
When the need arises for manipulation of pathogens that are likely to create aerosols (such as vortexing open tubes, pipetting, opening caps after centrifuging, sonicating, aspirating with a syringe, etc.). Use for all manipulation of airborne transmitted pathogens
For more information
- Certification of Biological Safety Cabinets policy (hosted by Office of Research)
- Primary Containment for Biohazards book about selection, installation, and use of biological safety cabinets (CDC)
- Frequently Asked Questions (The Baker Company)