The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that “open flames are not required in the near microbe free environment of a biological safety cabinet”. Several major BSC manufacturers and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended against the use of gas burners or alcohol flames within a cabinet.
Open flames:
- disrupt air flow, compromising integrity of your research materials and protection of the worker.
- result in excessive heat buildup, possibly leading to damage of HEPA filters.
- present a potential fire or explosion hazard.
- could inactivate manufacturer’s warranties on the cabinet. In the event of a fire, explosion of worker exposure due to use of a flammable gas in the cabinet, cabinet manufacturers will assume no liability.
If you believe that you must use a flame inside the cabinet, consider these alternatives to continuous burning flames:
|
Bacticinerator for sterilization of loops and needles |
|
| Touch-O-Matic provides flame only when needed | |
|
Safety Lab Gas Burner: reduces airflow disturbances. Unit can be operated with touch-free DoubleClick IR-Sensor, button, or foot pedal. |
