Biological Safety Cabinets

A Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) serves as the primary means to protect the laboratory worker and the surrounding environment from pathogens. All exhaust air is HEPA-filtered as it exits the biosafety cabinet, removing harmful bacteria and viruses. BSCs are designed to provide personnel, environmental and product protection when appropriate practices and procedures are followed.

Certifications, Maintenance or Service

The Institutional Biosafety Committee – Biosafety Cabinets, Animal Transfer Stations, and Clean Air Devices Policy (IBC-POL-18) lists requirements for the certification, use, and maintenance of these containment equipment. Biological Safety Cabinets must be certified when initially purchased and installed. Annual certification is required unless it is waived annually by the Office of Biological Safety (OBS), which is considered on a case-by-case basis for low-risk activities.  Waived BSCs must be certified every three years.  Cabinets are labeled to indicate that they either were certified on a given date or that the equipment must not be used with infectious materials.

A BSC cannot be moved or disassembled without prior approval from OBS or EH&S – BSC Program. All BSCs must be either surface or gas decontaminated prior to being moved. A risk assessment performed by OBS will determine the type of decontamination is needed prior to the move. After being moved, all BSCs must be re-certified through the EH&S – BSC Program or through an EH&S approved vendor.

For questions regarding the IBC policy IBC-POL-018 or to request a certification waiver, please email OBS at biosafety@fpm.wisc.edu.

Use the following form to request certification, maintenance, or service:

BSC SERVICE REQUEST FORM

Use Guidelines

Refer to the UW-Madison Manual For Biosafety Cabinets, Animal Transfer Stations, And Clean Air Devices for information regarding the types of containment equipment and their use.

BSC Shut-Down Guide

Please refer to Baker’s BSC Shut-Down Guide.

BSC Replacement Program

The Biosafety Cabinet Replacement Program is a program that started in 2016 to help labs purchase new BSCs at a discount of 60% off the price on a ‘first come-first serve’ basis for BSCs that are 15 years of age or older.

Purchase & Contract Info

For more information, please see the Institutional Biosafety Committee – Biosafety Cabinets, Animal Transfer Stations, and Clean Air Devices Policy.

15 Questions to ask before buying a Biological Safety Cabinet, Fume Hood, or Laminar Flow Hood. 

The University has a contract with Baker Company Inc. Information regarding this purchasing contract for BSCs can be found on the Purchasing Services website.

Additional Information

• BSC Myth busters – Multiple users in a Biosafety Cabinet compromise containment. Study done by Dr. Kara Held and Robert Thibeault of Baker Company.
• Electrical Outlet Location for BSCs. 
• How to remove and clean the Pre-filters from BSCs: SteriGARD BSC or AniGARD VF/EdgeGARD HF
• BSC Lab Set up diagrams. 
• BSC Decontamination and Dismantle Process.