Energy-Efficient Biological Safety Cabinet Reduces Energy Costs While Ensuring Safety

By Robert Lloyd, Engineering Manager of The Baker Co.

As the primary containment devices within laboratories, biological safety cabinets (BSCs) are critical to protect personnel, product and environment from exposure to biohazards and crosscontamination during routine daily procedures. Because of this vital role, the biological safety cabinet is one of the most essential and highly used pieces of equipment within a laboratory.

Biological safety cabinets have been designed to run continuously to maintain aseptic conditions in the workspace. Additionally, BSCs are often operated continuously to help control dust and other airborne particulates.

Reducing energy use in biological safety cabinets (BSCs) has been a priority at The Baker Company for some time. Because a BSC uses the flow of filtered air to provide personnel, product and environmental protection, you must reduce this airflow to reduce energy consumption. Turning off a cabinet would result in the ultimate energy reduction and, in some situations, this may be the solution. However, in most situations before you turn a cabinet off it should be decontaminated and then disinfected before it is placed back in service. This process is very time-consuming.