BioSafety Cabinet SOP

To provide general instructions on the use of biological safety cabinets for the handling of biohazardous materials.

All users of biological safety cabinets should be familiar with the procedures outlined below. Biosafety cabinets are used to control exposure to potentially hazardous biological materials (i.e. containment level 2 agents) when performing activities that have may generate aerosols.

All operators must receive training on the safe use of the biosafety cabinet prior to using the equipment. Training may be delegated to a qualified individual, but it remains the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure their personnel are adequately trained. Do not use biosafety cabinets when handling toxic, volatile or flammable materials. Do not use open flames inside cabinet at any time. The UV light must be turned off when the cabinet is in use.

Set-up

• Plan your experiment so you will have all required items with you when you start.
• Wear required personal protective equipment (lab coat, gloves, and eye protection).
• Ensure the hood certification is up to date. If a hood certification has expired, do not use the hood. Contact supervisor.
• Turn off the UV light.
• Turn on fan (if switch-operated) and work light, and verify airflow using display or a kimwipe.
• Allow 5 minutes for airflow to stabilize.
• Use 70% ethanol or another suitable chemical disinfectant to disinfect the interior surfaces of the cabinet.
• Retrieve required materials from storage locations.
• Ensure you have the supplies you need for collecting waste and for dealing with spills

Have containers or bags available within the hood for temporary storage of wastes. This prevents in-and-out movements from the cabinet that disrupt the airflow protecting the user.

Have paper towel, chemical disinfectant, forceps and autoclavable bags handy in case you have a spill inside the cabinet.

• Place items inside the hood separated on the basis of ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’.

Working in BSC

• Arrange your items as near to the back of the hood as you can without obstructing the air vents at the rear.
• Work cautiously to avoid generation of aerosols and minimize disruptions of airflow. Avoid moving your arms or items in and out of the hood as much as possible.
• Avoid moving your hands, pipettes, or other items over open containers or plates to avoid cross-contamination.
• Monitor airflow throughout your work – if unusual variations appear, close all open containers and lower the sash.
• When finished, close all containers (culture dishes, flasks, etc.).
• Wipe down all items (including waste bags, all containers, pipettors, instruments) with 70% ethanol or another suitable chemical disinfectant prior to removing them from the hood.
• Disinfect the interior of the hood with a suitable chemical disinfectant.
• Allow fan to operate an additional 5 minutes to clear cabinet of contaminants.
• Turn off work light and fan (if switch operated) and turn on UV light.
• Remove/change gloves, and wash hands thoroughly.