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Cleaning and Maintenance of the Biosafety cabinet [BSC]
Learning ObjectivesMaintenance tasks needed to be performed on the Biosafety Cabinet and their frequency.
The daily maintenance of the Bio Safety Cabinet (BSC) should be performed by lab staff and include:
- Surface decontamination of the work zone
- Cabinet power-up alarm verification
- Removal of unnecessary items from the BSC
- Flow check (inflow and downflow velocity)
- Smoke pattern test
- Entry in the logbook (shown in Table 2)
The weekly maintenance tasks to be performed by lab staff are:
- Surface decontamination of the drain pan
- Surface cleaning of fluorescent (FL) and ultraviolet (UV) lamps
- Front sash cleaning
Biosafety cabinets must undergo certification:
- At the time of installation
- Whenever they are moved
- Following any repairs or filter changes
The BSCs also require regular (annual) maintenance to ensure proper functioning.
Delaying maintenance or using underqualified personnel to conduct maintenance can put laboratory workers at risk.
Annual Maintenance - To be performed by an external agency
Parameters verified:
- Down flow and inflow velocities
- Particle count test
- Airflow smoke patterns
- Poly Alpha Olefin (PAO) test for High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter integrity
The table 1 below summarizes the description of maintenance tasks to be performed and their frequency:
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Description of task to be performed |
Maintenance to be carried out every |
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Day |
Week |
Month |
Quarter |
Annually |
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1. Surface decontaminate the work zone |
Yes |
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2. Cabinet power-up alarm verification |
Yes |
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3. Decontaminate the work surface and interior surfaces with 5% phenol followed by 70% alcohol |
Yes |
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4. Note the manometer’s reading, indicating any fall in pressure flowing through the HEPA filter |
Yes |
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5. Thoroughly surface decontaminate the drain pan |
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Yes |
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6. Check the paper catch for retained materials |
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Yes |
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5. Clean the exterior surfaces of the cabinet |
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Yes |
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7. Check all service fixtures for proper operation |
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Yes |
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8. Inspect the cabinet for any physical abnormalities/ malfunction |
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Yes |
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9. Re-certification |
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Yes |
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10. Change UV-lamp |
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8000-9000 hrs. of use |
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Date |
Time of use |
Cumulative duration of use |
Cumulative duration of use of UV lamps |
Visual alarm |
Sound alarm |
Smoke test |
Airflow m/s (for class II BSC) |
Observation |
Operator’s Sign |
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Change UV lamps after XXX hours of use (according to manufacturer's recommendations) |
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