How To Work With Fume Hoods The Safe Way
July 15th, 2009. Published under Science. No Comments.
For those who work in laboratories and know how science labs operate, the fume hoods are common sights. But for those who think that fume hoods are auto accessory or don’t know exactly where to place these, then let this short description serve as the guide.
Know your fume hoods
In the simplest description, fume hoods are those large pieces of instruments commonly seen in laboratories. These are safety accessories in labs so that the workers will not be exposed too much to hazardous and dangerous fumes. In the early days, they were constructed from wood, but due to the advancement in design and technology they have evolved as well. Now you can see ones that are coated in epoxy and made from mild steel. The changes in style and construction was made in order to make them safer when used in laboratories. And speaking of safer laboratories, hoods should be properly installed and utilized in order to contribute to the safety environment in laboratories.
Remember that the health and the safety of all the workers in the laboratories and the occupants of the building should be the main concern of the management. And the hoods should be properly installed and used since the perfectly working ones will help manage the hazards posed by chemical vapors and other airborne substances. And the end result is of course safety for all.
Major safety suggestions when using fume hoods
In dealing with hoods, it should be remembered that they are not storage spaces. When you keep some chemicals and equipments on them, then you may only contribute to some issues like the blockage of airflow. So make sure that tools, equipments and chemicals are off-limits on them. Other than these major safety suggestions, there are a number of specific safety tips that you should be aware of when dealing with and using fume hoods.
Here are some of these tips:
If necessary, try to work with less hazardous materials
Make sure that the exhaust fans are okay and running
Make sure that you don’t place your head inside the hood when working
The hood sash should be closed in order to ensure better use of energy
The doors of the lab should be closed at all times
The hoods should not also be used as disposal mediums
It is also important that you should avoid rapid actions in front of them, like the opening and the closing of sash. These fast movements that you do will only increase turbulence and may compromise the efficacy of them.
It pays to educate your lab workers about the operation of fume hoods
To ensure that they will contribute to safety in your laboratories, it is best as well that owners and the management should do its part by training and educating lab workers regarding the hazards and to inform the workers too about some worth methods that can help reduce the exposure to contaminants. In the end, it pays to have a general awareness on how they work in order to ensure the safety of everyone in the laboratory.
If you would like to learn more about fume hoods visit http://www.hawkinslab.com.