Biological Safety Cabinets
A biological safety cabinet (BSC) is an enclosed, ventilated laboratory workspace for safely working with materials contaminated or potentially contaminated with pathogens. BSCs use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in the exhaust and supply systems, and are designed to provide personnel, environmental, and product protection when appropriate practices and procedures are followed.
This is in contrast to a laminar flow clean bench, which blows unfiltered exhaust air towards the user and is not safe for work with pathogenic agents. Neither are most BSCs safe for use as fume hoods. Likewise, a fume hood fails to provide the environmental protection that HEPA filtration in a BSC would provide.
All BSCs on the CU Anschutz campus should have on the front an orange sticker with a unique inventory number, and a card identifying the users of the BSC.
Training
Biological Safety offers in-person training on the use of BSCs. Contact the Biosafety Program to schedule a training session or with questions.
Resources
- Biological Safety Cabinets: Selection, Installation and Field Certification
- Biological Safety Cabinet User Requirements
- This page from the Baker Company website discusses BSC classes.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides guidance on the different types of BSC, differentiated by the degree of containment required, on page 290 of "Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories."
- "Institutional Biosafety Committee Policy, Biological Safety Cabinets: Requirements for Certification Vendors"