Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet-A Complete Buying Guide by Sunnyda.

A biological cabinet is a confined work area featuring a ventilation hood that is made for holding pathogenic microorganisms in microbiological procedures.

The main purpose of its installation is to offer protection to the laboratory workers and the environment from infectious microorganisms (e.g. aerosol production in various lab processes).

Not all laboratory processes involve the use of these cabinets, they are only used for specific processes that produce or might produce pathogenic microorganisms.

Their use depends on the risk level of the process being carried out.

HEPA fan filter unit filters installed in these cabinets help decontamination of the air leaving the cabinet.

An important thing to consider here is that these cabinets should not be confused with laminar flow cabinets as both of them work in the enclosed work area.

The main difference is that a safety cabinet protects workers, the environment, and the sample. Whereas a laminar airflow cabinet only protects the sample.

Biosafety cabinets also work in sterilizing biological materials stored inside them. To dig more about it, keep reading this buying guide.

Laminar Airflow Cabinet

What is a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

A Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet is the simplest form of bio cabinet that protects the laboratory workers and environment.

It is a unique biosafety cabinet as it does not protect the sample because contaminated air enters the work area.

The main purpose of installing a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet is to carry out safe conduction of microbiological procedures that might produce pathogens like aerosols.

Processes like aerating cultures are a major example of pathogen-producing laboratory processes.

A Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet is also used for keeping special equipment such as centrifuges (for processes involving centrifugation).

You can either duct your biosafety cabinet class 1, by connecting it to the exhaust system of the laboratory) or leave it unducted by recirculating filtered air back into the lab.

There is an opening in the Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet from where the operator enters his hand into the cabinet. This opening is also a source of entry of room air into the cabinet.

The entry of room air may accompany some aerosol particles as well which then move towards the HEPA filter box. This filter sterilizes the air leaving into the environment.

This is how a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet keeps the workers and environment protected from pathogenic particles.

Sunnyda Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Features of a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

• 36 m/s Face Velocity

• 0 Airflow (Recirculated)

• 100 Airflow Exhausted

• Hard Duct Exhaust System

• 999% HEPA Filter Efficiency at 0.3 μm

• 21 W Illuminating Lamp

• 20 W UV Lamp

• Universal Caster

• Cold-Rolled Steel Featuring Anti-Bacteria Powder Coating Construction

• 304 Stainless Steel Work Table

Cold Rolled Steel Material for Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Specifications of a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

• External Size is 1100 by 695 by 1924mm

• The internal Size is 968 by 695 by 630mm

• 75-1.0m/s is the Airflow Velocity

• ≤67 dB is the Noise Level

• 7 Nanometers Emissions for Efficient Decontamination

• ≤350W Power Consumption

• 750mm Work Surface Height

• Power Supply Options Include AC220V±10%,50/60Hz;110V±10%,60Hz

Diagram of Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

Why is a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet Different from a Class 3 Biological Safety Cabinet?

All the classes of safety cabinets are different from each other; some features offered by a biosafety cabinet class 3, are missing in biological safety cabinet class 2 and 1.

Class 3 biological safety cabinet is different from a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet because it is entirely leak-tight, and all the entering or exiting air has to pass via a HEPA filter.

Class 3 biosafety cabinets are also called glove boxes because they come with rubber gloves that should be worn when operating this cabinet.

A transfer chamber is also present in a class iii biosafety cabinet (which is absent in class i or class ii biosafety cabinet).

This chamber serves in sterilizing materials prior to their exit from the chamber.

In a class 3 biosafety cabinet, the operator can make limited hand movements only. But this has a benefit also; it serves in preventing direct contact between the sample and the patient.

For treating the exhaust air, HEPA filters are used in combination with incineration, or double HEPA filters are used.

A biosafety cabinet class is used for all biosafety levels (from 1-4), but most importantly they manipulate biosafety level 4 biological materials

You can also customize biological safety cabinet class 3 for your specific laboratory which comes with built-in lab equipment.

Class 3 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Advantages of a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet for Applications?

• UV lamp for Sterilization: You can simply sterilize and decontaminate the work surface with help of a UV lamp.

• High-Quality Control Panel: A high-quality control panel allows you to easily adjust and monitor different settings required by the process (e.g. temperature).

• Low Noise Production: A Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet does not come with loud operation noise; instead, it produces very low noise.

• Energy Saving: Less power is required for its operation, making it energy saving.

• Memory Function: If you come across a power failure in your Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet, you don’t have to worry about your data loss because this cabinet has a memory function. This helps all your data get saved automatically when the system turns down.

• Stainless Steel Work Table: The stainless steel work table construction makes the cabinet easy to clean and requires less maintenance

Stainless Steel Work Table of Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Applications of a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

Microbial Research Practices With Low to Moderate Risk Agents:

You can use a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet to prevent pathogenic microbial invasion in microbiological processes with low to moderate pathogenic microbial formation levels.

It is the simplest of all biosafety cabinet types and has only the basic features, so you can not use it for controlling high-level pathogenic microbial activity.

Fermenters:

It is a sterilized and enclosed vessel that allows the growth of microbiological organisms.

Aerate Aerosol Generating Cultures:

Microbiological cultures that lead to the production of aerosols put lab workers and the environment at risk.

For the safety of workers and the environment, a Class 1 Biosafety Cabinet is used for removing the aerosols from the lab air, filtering them, and then sending them out to the environment.

Centrifuge:

Centrifugation is the process involving loading the sample on a centrifuge and then running the centrifuge for separating the particles on the basis of their size and density by rotation.

It involves the use of Class 1 Biological Safe Cabinet for ensuring sterilized centrifugation.

Is UV Light Necessary to Work in a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

Yes, exposing your Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet to UV light is essential for decontaminating it.

UV light is considered harmful due to the powerful radiations it possesses, but still, it exhibits multiple benefits especially for decontaminating any product.

This light basically kills the microorganisms it detects.

But the problem with using UV light in your biological safety hood is that it doesn’t have a flat surface, so the particles present in corners and grooves can’t be hit by the UV light.

So, make sure that you choose an alternative option that can target all the microorganisms.

When using UV light, timely replacement of the bulb is essential, because, with time, its efficiency decreases.

Weekly cleaning of the bulb once can protect it from dust, dirt, and debris.

It is important for the area to be free from human beings when the UV light is switched on. This is because exposing UV light to your eyes or skin can result in multiple health defects.

UV Lamp for Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

Can you Move in a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet Area?

You can move in the Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet, but slowly. This is because the fast movement can destabilize the internal air streams within minutes.

Try to reduce the side-to-side movements if you want to protect and keep the air barrier in place. Minimize the frequency of taking your hands outside or inside the system repeatedly.

When you place your hands in the system, allow its stabilization by the airstreams for around one minute so it properly becomes decontaminated.

Similarly, when you take your hands out from this system, always decontaminate them properly.

While working in a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet, place your arms in such a way that they don’t block the front grille section.

This is because the front is an important component of the decontamination system, and if they become contaminated through your arms the whole system can be disturbed.

Carefully Place Your Arms in Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet 

Why Use of Open Flames is Not Allowed in a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

It is not allowed to use open flames within your Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention department, open flames are not needed in the sterile and contaminant-free environment of your microbiological safety cabinet.

Within an open bench, when you expose the culture vessel’s top to flame, an upward air current will be generated.

This upward air current will be helpful in protecting the flasks or tubes from the entry of microorganisms.

However, in Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet, the flame can result in turbulence. This turbulence is a source of disturbance for the patterned and filtered air.

Other than this airflow disruption, burning or leaking burners, or other flammable products may result in a powerful explosion.

This is harmful not to the operator but also for the system

In case, heating is required, it is always preferred to use Bunsen burners which provide on-demand burning.

Open flames can also cause serious burns. In this system, you always have a limited space, where there is not a small room for mistakes.

For example, if your gloves get ethanol, this can cause a fire, however, this burning is not very common on benches.

Bunsen Burner in Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Standard Accessories Required by a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

Fluorescent Lamp:

One of the most important reasons for using a fluorescent lamp is that it gives maximum energy efficiency.

In comparison to a conventional bulb, using a fluorescent bulb will help you save 20-25% of energy.

Also, the fluorescent lamp is dimmable and has good lumen maintenance, low operating cost, easy retrofit, and radiates less heat.

Ultraviolet Lamp:

UV rays emitting from a UV lamp in a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet are very good in preventing the deposition of mildew and mold in the ventilation and from where they enter your laboratory environment.

This light also kills disease-causing organisms and improves the quality of air.

The UV lamp is a cost-effective solution for killing contaminants, eliminating excess moisture, and improving airflow.

Base Stand:

Placing your Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet on a base stand prevents the direct contact of the cabinet base with the laboratory floor which reduces the chances of damage and scratches.

Base Stand of Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Placement Instructions for a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

There are some special instructions that you must follow for placing your Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet:

• Keep it 6 inches from columns or adjacent walls.

• A suitable distance between two cabinets is 6 inches apart.

• Leave a space of 6 inches behind the cabinet and the same distance between both sides of the safety cabinets for allowing service operations.

• The suitable open space distance in front of the cabinet should be 40 inches.

• From the opposing walls, areas of occasional traffic, and benchtops leave a distance of 60 inches.

• Between benchtops and cabinet leave 20 inches distance along a perpendicular wall.

• When two cabinets are facing each other, there should be a minimum distance of 100 inches.

• From behind a doorway, 60 inches distance should be left.

• From an adjacent doorway swing side, leave 40 inches distance.

• From an adjacent doorway hinge, leave 6 inches distance.

Properly Placed Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

How to Setup your Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

Prepare For the Setup:

Before you start working in a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet, gather all the equipment that you require.

Organize them in the order of their need and clean them with 70% ethanol and put them in the work area.

Order of Organization:

Start arranging your equipment from clean to contaminated order. This helps you save time and prevents hassle.

Keep the Grilles Open:

You must ensure that the grilles are open. Blocked grilles hinder the efficiency of cabinet performance.

Keep Instruments Away From Rear:

Instruments that generate turbulence or aerosol should be kept away from the rear.

Vortex mixers, centrifuges, and blenders are the most common examples of such instruments used in microbiological processes.

Cleaning Protocols:

The suitable distance to be maintained between the item to be cleaned and the cleaning spray must be at least 150 mm. This helps in avoiding cross-contamination problems.

Cleaning of Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Instructions for Assembling Materials in a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

• Do not keep extra equipment in the Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet, only keep those that are required for the procedure.

• Set the materials in a right to left or left to right order. This reduces the contact of contaminated items with clean ones.

• Make sure that the view screen is properly installed and fixed.

The Right Order:

1. Clean items should be placed on the left side of the cabinet.
2. Working related to biological agents should be carried out in the center of the cabinet.
3. The waste collection should be done on the cabinet’s right side.

Material Placement in Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Pre-Disinfection and Pre-Purging Requirements for a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

Pre-Disinfection:

• The very first thing you have to do is to spray a suitable disinfectant throughout the interior surfaces.

• Do not wipe the disinfectant or use a towel to dry it out.

• Let the disinfectant dry out naturally, give it some time.

Pre-Purging Requirements:

• One major pre-purging requirement is to keep the cabinet fan on for 3 minutes (at least), without carrying out any activity inside the cabinet.

This helps in cleaning the cabinet before actually starting the process of conduction in it.

Pre-Disinfection of Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Post-Disinfection and Post-Purging Instructions for a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

Post-Disinfection:

• Use a suitable disinfectant for cleaning the surfaces of every item placed in the cabinet.

• Once decontaminated, take out all items from the cabinet and autoclave contaminants and other waste as per the standard protocols.

• Again using a disinfectant, clean the interior of your Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet.

Post-Purging Instructions:

• Leave the fan on for 3 minutes again to get rid of all the contaminants.

How to Collect Biohazardous Materials in a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

To collect biohazardous materials in Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet, a standalone aspiration machine or an in-house vacuum machine are the two easily accessible choices.

If you want to use an in-house vacuum system, you must ensure a secure connection between the overflow bottle and the collection bottle.

At this point, also ensure that there is a potent disinfectant loaded in the overflow bottle, and a HEPA filter is perfectly installed for protecting your system against aerosols.

Stand-alone aspiration machines are always small, easy to assemble, and don’t provide any chance of contaminating your vacuum power.

These can also be installed outside your biohazard safety cabinet, but don’t forget to securely connect the filtration system with the air outlet.

HEPA Filter of Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Certification Requirements of a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

A Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet must meet all the requirements stated by the National Sanitation Foundation. So, it is crucial for every manufacturer to ensure this thing.

Check its ventilation system, cabinet leakage, filter leakage, and all other performance characters and assure they are certified by NSF.

It is also important to field test your Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet to check whether it is still as efficient in performance as it was when it was manufactured.

Here are some situations when field certification is essential:

• Whenever a new system is installed.

• After one year of its usage.

• Whenever it undergoes repairing or maintenance.

• If you change its site of installation.

The National Sanitation Foundation has devised 49 criteria for the construction, performance testing, and field testing of this safety equipment.

Every field certifier has to acquire a certification program initiated by NSF, to ensure professionalism.

To achieve perfect field testing results of your equipment, always avail the services from an NSF field certifier.

What are the Primary Tests Required for the Performance of Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet Certification?

• Inflow Test: To know the average speed of the air entering the cabinet.

• Downflow Test: For knowing the average speed of air going following downward motion and ensuring its uniformity.

• Smoke Pattern Test: This test is done to find out if the airflow is laminar or not.

• HEPA filter Leakage Test: It informs the efficiency of the HEPA box.

Smoke Pattern Test of Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet

What are the Additional Tests Required for Worker’s Comfort and Safety When Using a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet?

There are various additional tests required when using a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet.

The reason for conducting these additional tests is to ensure maximum safety and comfort of the worker when using the cabinet.

The most commonly carried out additional tests are:

Noise Level:

This includes checking the extent of noise production achieved when a Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet is fully running.

A noise test ensures if the noise levels are controlled within the recommended range or not. Exceeded noise levels are harmful to the workers as well as the environment.

Lighting:

The lighting test aims to check if the different types of lights (florescent light, UV light) are properly working or not.

This includes checking their intensity and confirming if it lies in the standard range. Extremely high light intensity is not good for the workers and the laboratory environment.

On the other hand, low light intensities compromise the performance efficiency of the cabinet.

Electrical Leakage:

The Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet is also tested for any signs of leakage.

As a result, accidental chemical spills can cause serious disadvantages to the inner system of the cabinet.

Leakage problems are also a good source of corrosion problems, which ultimately damage the body of your bio cabinet.

Conclusion.

A Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet helps you keep your laboratory environment clean which is essential for the efficient conduction of lab processes.

Also, it ensures that the people conducting the process are kept safe from the pathogen-producing chemicals used in the work.

But, forgetting most benefits out of your Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet, always take care of its regular cleaning and maintenance.

Never let contaminants build upon its surface, keep everything sterilized and follow the standard usage protocols for maximum output.

ISO Approved Class 1 Biological Safety Cabinet