Chemical fume hoods, when used properly, are one of the most reliable engineering controls in the laboratory. Fume hood certification is necessary to ensure that hoods are preforming adequately to contain hazardous chemical vapors and gases. Fume hoods must be certified annually by the Office of Research Safety Affairs.
The standard fume hood certification includes face velocity testing to document and obtain an acceptable airflow and calculated total CFM volume, through the front opening of the hood with the sliding sash as a height that allows functional use. Visual airflow testing is also performed on every hood.
At Scientific Instrument Center, Inc., our technicians have been trained on the usage of the equipment so you can be assured your test data is accurate and fully documented. Certifications are to meet ANSI/ASHRAE 110 for fume hoods.
ASHRAE-110 tracer gas performance test should be performed on all fume hoods. Once the testing has been performed and the hood is operating at an acceptable level, the hood should not need to be tracer gas tested again unless environmental conditions change. Changes such as room modifications, HVAC system adjustments, equipment locations or procedural changes would warrant a retesting to confirm the changes do not impact the safety performance of the fume hood.
Trace gas testing is one way to asses if your fume hood has full containment. In some cases, it is not the hood that is causing the problem. Many times, the room conditions affect the performance ability of the hood negatively. ASHRAE-110 tracer gas test will let you know how well, or not so well your hood is doing concerning its ability to contain the potentially harmful compounds and gases.
For more than 30 years, Scientific Instrument Center has served businesses. We offer comprehensive chemical fume hood testing, certification and maintenance. Chemical fume hood testing is performed to comply with regulations and standards set forth by OSHA, ANSI, and ASHRAE.
To inquire about our services, you may contact us or give us a call at (614) 771-4700. We are here to answer any questions you may have.
