BIOSAFETY – CABINET CERTIFICATION
The routine certification of a biosafety cabinet is vital to the safety of the laboratory technicians and the validity of the research, product, and its environment.
Biological safety cabinets, or BSC’s, are used by labs for the research of various biohazard agents. They are designed to protect you, your lab, and your surrounding environment from harmful exposure to these biological agents. BSC certification refers to the maintenance and condition of the cabinet instead of a guarantee that the cabinet will work as expected. A Certified BSC is testing periodically to make sure that it is providing you with s safe work environment.
Biosafety Cabinets are the primary means of containment used in laboratories for the safe handling of infectious microorganisms. They need to be properly maintained beyond the daily care routines of the laboratory. This involves annual maintenance and certification by a qualified technician in accordance to the NSF/American National Standards Institute.
WHY CERTIFCATION IS IMPORTANT
- BSC Certification should only be done by a professional. A BSC Should be certified upon installation, after a repair, regularly for annual maintenance and when relocating the BSC to another lab.
- The Certification process can take 2-4 hours to complete. It includes testing the inflow and downflow of air through HEPA Filters.
- Professionals will also inspect these filters and other parts of your BSC, making repairs to them when necessary.
- Principle Investigators are responsible for making sure that BSC certification is done annually. They will provide you with a professional contact who will coordinate the certification process for you.
- It’s important that your BSC pass the certification test. If your BSC fails the test, it must be decontaminated, repaired, and recertified to be safe for use.
- The certification process includes the decontamination of your BSC. This is especially important when your BSC needs to be repaired, relocated, or disposed of to avoid releasing hazardous wastes into the environment.
- Most professionals use vaporous hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide. These strong chemicals help to neutralize and decontaminate any leftover biohazard materials before the units are opened for further decontamination.
- These chemicals are effective in decontaminating both the surface and the interior mechanisms of your BSC.
- Many professionals are preferring the use of chlorine dioxide since it is less toxic than most alternative decontaminants.
As a leader in Scientific Equipment repair and Medical Equipment Calibrations, Scientific Instrument Center understands that you do not want to entrust just anyone with certifying your BSC equipment. We understand that certification means more than just maintaining and fulfilling work regulations and standards. Certification removes complex issues that could prevent your ability to perform your work that can cause harm to the environment.
To inquire about biological safety cabinet testing, maintenance and certification to aid in controlling your critical environment, you may contact us or give us a call at (614) 771-4700.
We are here to answer any questions you may have.
