Why you should not buy a Non-Certified Biological Safety Cabinet?

The terms biological safety cabinet, biosafety cabinet and microbiological safety cabinet should only be applied to those devices that meet the requirements of Classes of BSCs, based on their construction, airflow velocities and patterns, and their exhaust systems.

The role of BSCs is to provide protection when handling infectious agents.

BSCs are no ordinary cabinets. 

These devices should meet international standards, i.e. NSF/ANSI 49, EN 12469 (see blog All about biosafety cabinet standards). These standards provide a series of specifications that a biological safety cabinet must meet.

Photo credits from:
www.nsf.org

To acquire an international certification, a BSC must meet the expected performance required by the standard for tests for air velocity measurements, operator and product protection, cross contamination, air visualization, filter integrity, maintenance of temperature, acceptable noise and light levels during operation of the cabinet and acceptable design of filter mountings  and plenum, and other tests as required.

Raw materials used in biological safety cabinets should be of quality. Moreover, the production stage follows a standard process, with subsequent quality control checks. The performance of the BSC during production is tested and certified.  Down flow and inflow velocity profile, airflow smoke patterns, HEPA filter leak checks, potential electrical shock hazard, operator fatigue, and the overall safety, quality and efficiency of the cabinet are checked. Moreover, BSC operation needs to be verified at the time of installation.

It is crucial for an institution to use only certified BSCs.

The purpose of testing and certification is to ensure the balance of inflow and exhaust air, the distribution of air into the work surface, and the integrity of the cabinet. A BSC must also be routinely inspected and tested by a qualified personnel to verify that it is working properly. The safety of the personnel and the environment is not guaranteed when BSCs are not certified. People and environment may be at risk of exposure when using non-certified BSCs.

The use of non-certified BSCs, technically, beats the purpose of using one.

So if you decide to buy a biological safety cabinet, look for the certificate. This proves the BSC’s quality, safety and efficiency.

Source:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Appendix A – Primary Containment for Biohazards: Selection, Installation and Use of Biological Safety Cabinets. USA. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/biosafety/publications/bmbl5/BMBL5_appendixA.pdf [Accessed August 13, 2015].