Biosafety Cabinets and Clean Benches
This page outlines the proper use and limitations of biological safety cabinets and laminar flow clean benches, certification, filter changes and disposal.
HEPA-filtered supply air–only Laminar Flow Clean Benches (LFCBs) and HEPA-filtered supply and exhaust Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs) are tested, certified and repaired annually by specialists contracted by Purdue.
Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) may periodically request information about how these units are used through the Agent Inventory Form (Qualtrics).
Filter Changes and Disposal
Filter changes for HEPA-filtered cabinets are ordered when deemed necessary by the NSF-certified technicians who test and service the units. Before filters can be safely removed and replaced, the cabinet and its filters often must be completely decontaminated. Complete decontamination involves saturating the cabinet and filters with a disinfecting agent.
Please Keep EHS Posted
EHS maintains an inventory of all chemical fume hoods, biological safety cabinets and laminar flow clean benches on campus. Report any planned relocation of these units before moving a BSC so EHS can arrange professional HEPA filter decontamination through one of our contracted vendors.
Contact
For questions about cabinet certification, filter changes or equipment relocation, contact biosafety@purdue.edu.