A secondary container is a catch basin or bin that can contain drips and spills of the chemicals stored inside of it.

All chemical containers should be labeled with full chemical names, hazards, dates and initials:

Review new equipment installations and building modifications to ensure compliance with appropriate building codes.

Reminder: Please do not leave loose items such as kimwipes, paper towels, aluminum foil in chemical fume hoods.  These materials can easily get loose and fly into the rear baffles of the hood. This, in turn, disrupt the proper airflow inside the ducts. If you have something get loose, contact Physical Plant personnel to help you remove it. 

Chemical fume hoods are the primary engineering control available to laboratory workers.

1.) First, identify and use administrative controls: Administrative controls are procedures used to control and minimize exposure to chemicals. Substitute a non-hazardous or less hazardous chemical for a more hazardous chemical. Alter your procedure so that smaller quantities may be used or so that the flow of work can be made safer. 

General Guidelines:

• Use these sources of information about hazardous substances:

              1. Find a Material Safety Data Sheet or Safety Data Sheet

These are examples of some key safety questions for lab workers.

1.) Planning for laboratory work:

What are . . .

1. I need to treat my cell culture plates with volatile chemicals. Should I use a Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) or a Fume Hood (FH) to do my work? - A Fume Hood will not protect your cells from contamination, and therefore, should not be used if you require aseptic conditions for your work (e.g., if you need to pass cells or continue an experiment in which cells must be placed back in the incubator). You could use the Fume Hood for a terminal procedure, such as RNA isolation with Trizol.

The Role of Biological Safety Cabinets in Research

Classes of Biological Safety Cabinets

How to Work Safely in a Biological Safety Cabinet

Biological Safety Cabinet Training (video)

Biological Safety Cabinets must be tested periodically in order to ensure that they are working properly and providing a safe research environment. This process, known as certification, should be performed at least once a year by a specialized technician. In addition, BSCs should also be certified when leaving the factory, after repairs, and after being moved.