Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC)
Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs) are essential equipment in laboratories with works involving bio-hazardous materials. They are designed to protect the operator, the product and the environment from exposure to biohazardous materials and to prevent cross-contamination.
Key features
- Operator protection
- Product protection
- Environment protection
Biological Safety Cabinet – Purpose of use
Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) is a required equipment in laboratories handling bio-hazardous materials to ensure protection of the user, the product, and the environment from contamination, and to maintain safety and quality standards ensuring the integrity of the experimental results.
BSCs are furnished with ‘High-Efficiency Particulate Air’ (HEPA) filters that prevent entry of cross-contaminants but also ensure bio-hazardous material is not released into the external environment. The proper use of BSCs enhances laboratory safety, efficiency in handling hazardous biological agents, as well as regulatory compliance.
Applications for Biological Safety Cabinets
- Microbiological research when operators handle pathogens, for example bacteria, viruses, and fungi,
- Clinical and diagnostic works for processing patient samples, such as blood, tissue, and other biological fluids that might potentially be contaminated by hazardous or infectious materials,
- Biotechnology activities and genetic engineering involving handling of nucleic acids and other genetic material to prevent their release in the environment,
- Public health and epidemiology analyses dedicated to the study of infectious diseases and pathogens, including handling of specimens during outbreaks to prevent contamination and spread,
- Works involving microbiological samples that might potentially be pathogens and other hazardous materials that require containment to protect both the user and the environment.
Tailored Biological Safety Cabinet to meet your needs
BECARV conceives and constructs customized Class I and Class II Biological Safety Cabinets for handling of moderate- to high-risk hazardous agents and pathogens, guaranteeing the quality and safety of operations and preventing release of bio-hazardous agents in the external environment.
Such BSCs are built with a vertical airflow and ‘High-Efficiency Particulate Air’ (HEPA) filters providing a clean contaminant-free air flow into the work area. They use additional containment material (glass window) to protect the operator as well as exhaust filters to prevent release of hazardous agents into the room or outside in the environment.
Why choose BECARV Biological Safety Cabinet?
Safety and reliability
BECARV has established its expertise to construct robust and reliable Biological Safety Cabinets that guarantee the safety of operations in the working space, protecting the operator and the test article, and preventing at the same time the potential release of hazardous material in the outside environment.
Customization and ergonomic design
BECARV analyses the purposed use of the Biological Safety Cabinet with its clients to design and customize the equipment, taking into account characteristics of the intended operations and ergonomic features for the operator’s comfort and accessibility.
Frequently asked questions about Biological Safety Cabinet
What are the differences between a Biological Safety Cabinet and a laminar air flow hood?
Biological Safety Cabinets offer a controlled environment to work with hazardous or infectious materials. It also prevents the release of hazardous agents into the environment. Laminar air flow hoods provide a sterile environment for work with non-hazardous materials.
What is the meaning of Class I and Class II Biological Safety Cabinets provided by BECARV?
Class I Biological Safety Cabinets are suitable to protect the user and environment in cases of handling low- to moderate-risk agents whereas Class II BSCs are to be used for moderate- to high-risk hazardous agents, such as pathogens and hazardous chemical compounds.
What are the specificities of Biological Safety Cabinets?
Biological Safety Cabinets are to be used when operations with microbiological organisms, pathogens or hazardous materials require high containment level to protect together the operator, the product and the environment.
What are the protection techniques included in a Biological Safety Cabinet?
Biological Safety Cabinets employ a combination of HEPA filters (inlet/exhaust) and containment strategies (glass window) to protect the user, the test article into the workspace, and the outside environment.