Biological Safety Cabinet Certification and Repair
Effective: Moved to Policy Library from UPM 12.12(4)
Reviewed: February 2023
Contact: Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S)
Introduction
Biological safety practices at Iowa State University are governed by regulations and guidelines of the U.S. Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS). As part of the required oversight, the department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) coordinates the annual biological safety cabinet certification testing.
Policy Statement
All biosafety cabinets (BSC) used for containment of biohazards must have an initial certification and must be recertified at least annually to ensure proper operation. BSCs must also be recertified whenever they are moved, repaired, or have filters replaced. Certification, filter changes, and repairs must be performed by NSF certified technicians.
EH&S must be contacted prior to purchasing a BSC to ensure that the model is appropriate for the intended use and that the cabinet is placed on the annual testing and certification schedule.