Biological Safety Cabinet Services

The Office of Research Services, Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) provides various services regarding certification, maintenance, repair, and decontamination of specific primary barrier equipment including biological safety cabinets. For more information, contact us at (301) 496-3353 or (301) 496-3457.

Select one of the links below for more information:

Certification, Maintenance and Repair

Decontamination

Obtaining Clearance to Purchase a Biological Safety Cabinet

Certification, Maintenance and Repair

Most types of biological cabinets at the NIH provide product, environmental, and personnel protection. Biological safety cabinets are certified annually (every six months for pharmacy areas) according to the National Sanitation Foundation Standard/American National Standard 49 (NSF/ANSI 49), which is the accepted standard for the biological safety cabinet industry. Various field tests are performed to verify air flows, HEPA filter integrity, containment of contaminated cabinet air, and that the cabinet is safe to operate regarding other cabinet operational features. Maintenance and repair of biological safety cabinets is also provided. To request certification or repairs, submit a service request. (Note: This link is only accessible on the NIH intranet.)

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Decontamination

Whenever biological safety cabinets are to be relocated or surplused, internal repairs are to be made, or when filters are to be replaced, these cabinets must be decontaminated by a DOHS technician. To arrange for decontamination, submit a service request. (Note: This link is only accessible on the NIH intranet.) Please submit a request for decontamination at least 2 weeks in advance of a move to allow appropriate lead time for scheduling.

Decontamination process details:

1. Prior to decontamination: remove all equipment from inside the BSC and wipe it down with an appropriate disinfectant. The users of the BSC must clean and disinfect the catch tray under the grill.
   
2. The decontamination process takes at least 48 hours to complete once started.
   
3. After the DOHS decontamination is completed, fill out and attach NIH form 2683, Certification that Equipment is Free from Hazards, to the BSC. Movers will not move or surplus the BSC without this form attached.
   
4. Once the decontamination process is complete, disconnection from services (vacuum, gas, air) will be done through the Office of Research Facilities (ORF). Submit a construction request for “Disconnection of Biological Safety Cabinet to utility services (**specify - vacuum, gas, air, etc.)." The funds approving official is your Administrative Officer (AO). Your request will then be routed to ORF's Division of Design and Construction Management's Small Alterations Team.
   
5. Recertification of a relocated BSC after your move is required before resuming any work within the BSC, for the protection of the workers and of the research work itself. Submit a service request for “Certification of New Cabinet" once the BSC is in its new location.
   

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Obtaining Clearance to Purchase a Biological Safety Cabinet

We maintain a limited number of Class II, Type A2 biological safety cabinets for purchase by NIH researchers who have experienced failure of their biological safety  cabinet(s) and repair is not possible. Four and six foot biological safety cabinets are available. Other sizes of biological safety cabinets such as a Class II, Type A2 three foot or five foot are not kept in stock and must be special ordered with delivery time being six to eight weeks. Class II, Type B biological safety cabinets are not available through the stocking program.

There is a limited need for Class II Type B biological safety cabinets at the NIH. In addition, Class II Type B biological safety cabinets require very specific installation and operating conditions to function correctly. The majority of facilities at the NIH cannot support them and they are not recommended for installation.

Contact us at (301) 496-3353 or (301) 496-3457 for information on ordering procedures, current prices and availability of units.

• Class II, Type A2 Biological Safety Cabinet Ordering Criteria for the National Institutes of Health
• Class II, Type B1 Laminar Flow Biological Safety Cabinet Ordering Criteria for the National Institutes of Health
• Class II, Type B2 Laminar Flow Biological Safety Cabinets at Ordering Criteria for the National Institutes of Health 

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