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You should not position the cabinet with either side closer than 30 cm (1') to
adjacent walls or other similar obstructions. Allow at least 30 cm (1') clearance on
both sides of the cabinet. There should be adequate space left for cleaning the
sides of the cabinet and for carrying out decontamination procedures. There
should be unobstructed access to the main power supply point(s).
Safety cabinets should not be installed in positions where there is a
likelihood of interference from other laboratory equipment. The
distance from the aperture to the aperture of an opposing cabinet,
fume cupboard, etc. should be in excess of 3 meters (9') for safe
operation.
As with walls, any large obstruction such as a pillar or column projecting beyond the
plane of the front aperture should not be within 30 cm (3') of the sides of the
cabinet.
You should not position the cabinet in a location where there is an opposing
wall (or other obstruction likely to affect airflow) within 2 meters (7') of the
front aperture.
Avoid positioning a bench at right angles to the cabinet. While this may reduce traffic in
front of the cabinet, any other person working at the bench is likely to disturb airflow
close to the cabinet.
You should not position the cabinet where the distance between the
aperture and any doorway is less than 1.5 meters (5') or the distance
between the side panel and any doorway is less than 1.0 meter (3'). Door
openings cause substantial air turbulence. If the door is fitted with air
transfer grills, operator protection factor testing may be carried out to
determine suitable reduced clearance.
The distance between the aperture of the cabinet and the front of a bench
opposite should not be less than 1.5 meters (5'). Containment performance may
not be affected if this distance is reduced, to allow the operator to use the bench
whilst working in the cabinet for instance. You should measure any such effects
using relevant operator protection factor tests to determine safety limits.
A projecting bench will help minimize traffic in front of the cabinet and
anyone working at the bench is unlikely to have a significant effect on the
airflow as long as the front of the bench is situated at least 1 meter (3') from
the side of the cabinet.
Class II Biological Safety Cabinets
3
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