Biosafety Cabinet Maintenance
Proper operation and maintenance of a Biosafety Cabinet (BSC) requires knowledge of how the system operates, as well as training and experience in effective techniques for working within the cabinet volume without compromising its functions. Additional details concerning the design and use of BSCs are provided in the CDC’s Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical laboratories (BMBL) 6th edition.
Annual Certifications
- The certification ensures that the BSC is meeting its operating specifications and providing maximum protection. In addition, certifiers provide service and preventive maintenance for the BSC and can often forecast expensive requirements like HEPA filter replacements, allowing PIs to budget for the event.
- BSCs used as primary barriers must be certified annually. The initial certification is the responsibility of the PI. Please contact our office before scheduling your initial certification.
- The Office of Research Safety (ORS) uses NSF/ANSI certified companies for re-certifications, however the PI may indicate what specific company should be used for their initial certification.
- Once your initial certification is complete, please email a copy of your paperwork to our office at [email protected]
- ORS is responsible for annual re-certifications. The recertification must be completed before the current certification expires. If the certification lapses, the BSC may not be used for BSL-2 or higher procedures until it is recertified.
- Please report any expired or soon-to-be expired certifications to ORS, so we can schedule your re-certification as soon as possible. The certificate will generally expire on the last day of the month in which the certification was performed, one year later (for example, a certificate issued on June 2, 2021 will expire on June 30, 2022).
- Prior to certification the user will be responsible for decontaminating the interior surfaces of the cabinet using an approved method and disinfectant specific to the agent.
- All copies of annual certification reports are maintained by ORS.