Department of Biology
- Department of Biology
- Current staff and students
- Health and safety
- Code of Good Laboratory Working Standards
- Inhalation Exposure Control Standards
Inhalation Exposure Control Standards
- Apply engineering controls (ventilated cabinets e.g. fume cupboard / microbial safety cabinet) at source where practicable (see below), supplemented with personal protective clothing / equipment where necessary
- Medium / high chemical exposure potential: avoid inhalation of hazardous dusts, aerosols, gases and vapours by working in a fume cupboard or other local exhaust ventilation (volatile chemicals)
- Low chemical exposure potential: operations involving an inhalation risk can only be carried out on the ‘open bench’ where exposure potential is low e.g. short-term operations with some volatile substances that produce ‘nuisance smells’ only
- Any activity likely to generate aerosols presenting a risk of exposure to infectious agents must be conducted in a microbial safety cabinet
- Avoid shaking stock containers of chemicals (e.g. to remove lumps)- these can rupture, especially if old, leading to chemical exposure.