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Safe Use of Fume Hoods and Laboratory
Ventilation Equipment
Before using a fume hood you should:
Make sure that the exhaust blower is operating and air is
entering into the fume hood or ventilation equipment. Check the
magnehelic gauge or audible/visual (AV) alarm. The magnehelic gauge
should register 0.1 inches of water or slightly higher. The AV alarm
should not indicate any problems.
A qualitative fume hood check can also be accomplished by
taking a small strip of Kim-Wipe and place it near the opening. If the
fume hood is operating properly the tissue should be drawn inward. If the
strip of tissue is not drawn inward, please notify Facilities at x1141 or
Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) at x8475.
Do not place your face inside of a unit. Keep your hands
out as much as possible.
Do not store chemicals
or equipment inside your fume hood if they
are not needed for the current experiment or process.
Clean up
spills as soon as possible. Periodically clean the
interior areas of your fume hood. Use a neutral cleaner such as Simple
Green and dispose of contaminated wipes and paper towels as solid chemical
waste.
The hood or ventilation
equipment should be in continuous
operation if any volatile, toxic or corrosive materials are stored or used
in the unit.
Avoid blocking off the
baffle exhaust slots located in
back of the
fume hood. Elevate large equipment 2 inches off the surface or base of the
fume hood.
Be aware of other room
ventilation factors that may
interfere with
the unit's operation. Opened doors, windows, blocked exhaust ports or
heating and air conditioning vents can negatively impact fume
hood/ventilation equipment performance.
Avoid cross drafts and
disruptive air currents in front of the
fume hood.
Use your fume hood sash
as a safety shield when working
in a fume
hood. Work with the sash at the proper level as indicated by the
certification sticker placed on the fume hood.
Never work in a fume
hood with a broken sash. Never attempt to
lower a fume hood sash that has been broken, instead contact Facilities at
x1141 (or fixit@udel.edu) or EHS to have the sash repaired.
Prepare
a plan of action in case of an emergency, such as a power
failure. Your plan should include what actions are to be taken to make
the operation and materials in the unit safe.
Know where your fire
extinguisher is located. Verify that it is
approved for the materials being used. Contact EHS to receive fire
extinguisher training. Dial 911 on the Newark campus or 9-911 on the
Lewes, Georgetown and Wilmington campuses should an emergency occur.
Periodically check for
proper airflow through the unit by checking
the magnehelic, AV alarm or using the Kim-Wipe method.
Questions
or requests for more information may be addressed to Ann Woodall or call
831-7026.
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