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Biological Safety Cabinet Testing

Biological Safety

The standard BSC hood certification includes air velocity testing to document and obtain an acceptable airflow and calculated total CFM volume, meeting the manufacturer’s specifications. The HEPA filter integrity test is also performed to document acceptable performance of no leakage in excess of .01% of the upstream challenge concentration. The final test is a visualization of airflow.

Additional testing may include:
  • Particle Count Classification,
  • Viable Environmental Sampling,
  • Sound Level Testing,
  • Fluorescent Light Testing,
  • Ultra-Violet Light Testing,
  • Electrical Testing,
  • Vibration Testing,
  • and Temperature/Humidity Testing.

All testing conforms to applicable current test standards, which are denoted on every electronically generated test report. No handwritten illegible reports from Air Safe! Our reports are generated in the field, and then reviewed at our office to ensure accuracy. A compliance certificate is issued and applied to the unit denoting test date, status, and re-certification due date.

We service and certify all types of Biological Safety Cabinets. Do you have a Class I, Class II, Type A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, or a Class III device? If you are not sure what type of cabinet you have, give us a call and we will let you know!

A Note to BSC Users with Exhaust Systems!

Current NSF 49 standards require Type A2 Biological safety cabinet which are ducted to an exhaust system are required to have a “canopy” style exhaust transition equipped with an airflow alarm. Cabinets which are directly connected to the exhaust system are no longer permitted even with an alarm! Contact us for more information on converting your old hard connection to a canopy, or adding an alarm to your existing canopy connected hood.

Which Standards are these types of devices tested to?

The national standard used by Air Safe to certify the hood’s performance is the NSF 49-Annex “E”. Often these hoods are tested to the manufacturer’s guidelines, which generally follow the IEST guidelines. The NSF 49 document references several IEST Recommend Practices which outline the fundamentals of testing.

Other standards apply to some of the additional tests available. These may include:
  • ISO 14644; Cleanrooms & Associated Environments (supersedes FED 209E)
  • IEST-RP-CC-002.3, Laminar Air Flow Devices
  • IEST-RP-C034.4; HEPA and ULPA Filter Leak Test (referenced in 002.2)

Air Safe supports equipment manufactured by:

Abatement Technologies, Agnew Higgins, Abbott Laboratories, Air Control, American Scientific, Atmos Tech, Baker Company, Bellco, Bio Quest, BBL, Bio Safe, Bio Clean, Capt Air, Canadian Cabinets, CCI, CCL Classic Modular, Clean Air Products, Clear Air Systems, Dexon, Duralab, EACI, Envirco, Esco, Fisher Scientific, Flow Sciences, Forma Scientific, Gelaire, Germfree Labs, Gruenburg, Hamilton Industries, Hemco, Hoffman, Holten, Howorth Air, HR Inc, I.S.O. Tech Design, Integrated Air Systems, Iroquois, Isle Industries, Johnston Labs, Kendro, Kewaunee Scientific, La Calhene, Lab Products, Labconco, Laminaire, Laminar Flow Inc, Lerner Labs, Lipshaw, MIC, Microviod, Microzone, Modular, Mopec, NuAire, Pureaire Corp, Sci-Med, Sterilaire, St. Charles, Thermo Fisher (Forma) Scientific, Torit, Veco, Weber, Westinghouse, and all forms of manufactured cleanrooms.