About EBSA13 - Course F Biosafety Cabinet (half day)

Instructor:
Felix Gmuender, Basler & Hofmann Singapore Pte Ltd/SG

Short description:
Working safely in the biosafety cabinet. The biosafety cabinet (class II) is the most important and most widely used primary barrier found in the microbiological and biomedical laboratory (BSL-2, BSL-3 and BSL-4). Biosafety cabinets protect against aerosol exposure and to a lesser degree against small droplets. The protection of the operator depends on the selection of appropriate types and size of the cabinet, proper function, correct placement of the cabinet in the laboratory, and how the work is organized and carried out. Biosafety cabinets need appropriate maintenance and annual certification. The user (or BSO) should be able to identify malfunctioning cabinets. The course starts with the technical background of the types of biosafety cabinets available on the market, and their strengths and limitations. Video demonstrations are used to illustrate airflow, sample procedures with varying quality and perfection, as well as management of small and large spills in the biosafety cabinet. Participants work in groups to analyze, discuss, and comment the procedures shown and suggest improvements and alternatives.

Learning objectives
Understand different types of BSCs, laminar flow hoods and their applications.
Learn how to place and operate biosafety cabinets from the user's and BSO's perspective. Simple performance tests. Certification requirements (manufacturer and installation).
Learn how to organize your work in the cabinet (set-up until conclusion of work). Learn how to manage small and large spills.

Group exercises: Analyze and comment several examples of procedures and workflows presented in video clips.