Since You Asked... How do I know when to change the filter in my isolator?
By Frank Razzaboni
Filtration industry experts state that a filter should be changed when it reaches ½ its rated capacity. Once a filter is in place, however, it can be difficult to determine when it’s at the end of the useful life span.
Waste Matters
By Randy Kray, AIA, Rich Apolinar
The next series of articles in this column will deal with processing waste materials in BSL-3 containment.
Since You Asked...How do I check for leaks in an isolator?
By Frank Razzaboni
“How do I check for leaks in an isolator? Can I patch a flexible isolator front/isolator flexible film canopy or should it be replaced?”
Biosecurity In The Laboratory Animal Facility
By P.S.Venkatesan
Protecting your laboratory against infectious agents and parasites can help maintain the integrity of your research.
The Greening of Containment: Airflow Issues
By Jon Crane, AIA, LEED AP
In this installment of my sustainable design and containment series, I will focus on energy issues particularly related to the systems required, and energy used, to move air through a containment laboratory.
Validating BSC Contamination
By Kevin Lorcheim
Chlorine dioxide gas is now approved for the decontamination of biological safety cabinets under Annex G of NSF/ANSI 49.
What's It All About ... Algae?
By Emily Cassidy, BS, RVT, LATG
No matter how clean and hermetic your facility is, algae will find their way in.
Isolation Technology as Applied to Lab Animal Research
By Patrice Cloué, Rich Apolinar, Randy Kray, AIA
Cost and process improvement within biocontainment space
Old Dog, New Tricks
By William R. Britz
How 50-year-old Cubicles are Changing with the Times
Observations on the State of Containment
By Jon Crane, AIA, LEED AP
There are a number of factors driving both the need for biocontainment and the specifics of facilities. There is debate over how much biocontainment can effectively be brought online and recognition over the stretching of resources required.
Primary Engineering Control Considerations in a Level 3 Animal Research Facility
By Scott Christensen
Any consideration of primary engineering controls in a Level 3 animal facility needs to maximize the safety of the researchers and the protection of the animals as a priority.
Redefining “Containment” for Aquatic Facilities
By Austin Bailey
At the facility level, barrier strategies for aquatic facilities mimic those of dry vivariums. Having proper quarantine facilities and protocol for incoming fish is paramount in preventing the influx of disease.
The “Ratcheting Up” of Biocontainment
By Jon Crane, AIA, LEED AP
If working in a biosafety cabinet (BSC) is good, isn’t working in a BSC in a room that is HEPA filtered better? If HEPA filtering the exhaust in a facility is appropriate for that facility, isn’t HEPA filtering the supply air better? If sealing a room is good, isn’t sealing it airtight better?
Why Containment and Proper Hood Use is Important in Animal Science Laboratories
By Douglas B. Walters, Ray Ryan, Sai Kotha
The planning, design, construction, and commissioning of biocontainment facilities is difficult and complex for many reasons.These reasons include complying with regulations and guidelines, accomplishing the work mission, identifying potentially hazardous agents, performing a risk assessment on the proposed agents and operations, providing an environment free from worker, environmental exposure, and doing all this within budget restraints.
BSL-3 - How Sealed is Sealed?
By Jon Crane, AIA, LEED AP
For basic and enhanced BSL-3 and ABSL-3 facilities, the CDC/NIH guideline, Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), states that the spaces be sealed. This lead to confusion and effort beyond what is can lead to confusion and effort beyond what is required for biosafety.
Pass-thru BSCs
By Scott Christensen
Which type of pass-thru BSC should be used to enter small animals into a facility — re-circulating or 100% exhausted?
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Facilities
By Jon Crane, AIA, LEED AP, Jonathan Richmond, Scott Reitlein, Ross Ferries, Sandro Bressi
The potential threat of avian flu and the need for appropriate facilities to work with strains of HPAI raise design issues of protection and timely development.
How Secure Are Your Infectious Waste Streams?
By Michael G. Vocilka
It is so easy to flush waste down the drain without giving it a second thought. We all do it, but the reason not to do it is quite profound.
Cubicles and Holding Rooms
By Chris Cosgrove
In many ways, cubicles are no different than holding rooms and as such are subject to some of the same architectural and engineering design criteria
Controlling Particulate Contamination with an Air Shower
By John J. Nappi, Jr.
The importance of limiting contamination first became evident during the Civil War. During that time, it was realized that when operations were performed in dirty environments, the patients developed infections and died. Operating rooms became the first clean environments. Since then, advances in most areas of industry and science have created a growing need for controlled environments. Industry and science have also answered the need by discovering methods to control contamination.
The State of the Art of Isolation Cubicles
By William R. Britz
Though space and cost analysis of animal isolation cubicles has been well established, little documentation exists to describe their physical operation and effectiveness. And, while tools for micro-isolation of animals are the industry’s predominate interest, the state of the art of isolation cubicles has quietly been advancing.