Office of Public Safety
Office of Environmental Health & Safety
Office of Environmental Health & Safety

Biosafety Cabinet

Biosafety Cabinets (BSCs) are primary containment devices designed to protect personnel, the environment, and—depending on cabinet type—research materials from exposure to infectious agents and biohazardous aerosols. BSCs use directional airflow and HEPA filtration to contain and remove airborne contaminants generated during laboratory procedures.

BSCs are required for work involving many infectious agents, recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids, viral vectors, and other biohazardous materials as determined by risk assessment and IBC approval.

The most commonly used cabinets in research laboratories are:

  • Class I BSCs, which provide personnel and environmental protection but do not protect the research material.
  • Class II BSCs, which provide personnel, environmental, and product protection and are the standard cabinet used for most microbiological and biomedical research. (Most common at GU)
  • Class III BSCs, which are fully enclosed, gas-tight cabinets used for high-containment work.

Cabinet type and certification requirements must align with the risk level of the work being conducted.

Proper placement is critical to cabinet performance. BSCs must be located away from doors, high-traffic areas, air supply diffusers, and other sources of airflow disruption. Clearance requirements must be maintained around the cabinet to allow proper airflow and service access.

For detailed placement specifications, refer to the NIH Biosafety Cabinet Placement Requirements document and consult EH&S prior to installation or relocation.nducted.

All BSCs must be inspected, certified, and maintained on a regular schedule. During certification, airflow velocity, HEPA filter integrity, and overall cabinet performance are verified. Because filters capture particles and aerosols generated during work, they have a limited lifespan and must be replaced by trained professionals when needed. As filters load, airflow resistance increases; if performance drops below acceptable levels, the cabinet will activate audio and visual alarms.

BSCs must be re-certified annually by a qualified vendor. Many of the BSCs at Georgetown University are serviced by Keystone Certification. For BSC certification quotes contact Keystone Certification at (757)-333-4988.

BSCs must be professionally decontaminated prior to relocation, disposal, or transfer to another laboratory or off-campus location. A certificate of decontamination must be submitted to EH&S before relocation approval is granted.

When receiving a BSC from another institution, EH&S must receive documentation confirming prior decontamination before any move is arranged.

Applicable Policies & Guides:

Applicable Forms:

External Resources:

NIH Biosafety Cabinet Placement Requirements