Contact us (and cc your building manager) as soon as possible stating specifically

• Which unit is down
• Where the unit is located
• What issues the unit is reportedly having
• How long the unit has been malfunctioning.

Put an out of service sign on the cabinet to prevent others from using it. Biosafety will get a technician on campus as soon as possible.

There are several reasons why this practice is prohibited:

• The flame itself creates turbulence within the BSC which will disrupt the airflow inside the unit causing convection rather than intended laminar air flow patterns.  Laminar air patterns maintain both a clean work environment and protect your health from what you’re working with.
• Cabinets are not designed for high heat; heat that can disrupt electrical equipment within the unit itself and grossly damage the HEPA filter leading to a loss of containment.
• Most BSCs recirculate a percentage of air, so were the flame to go out, flammable gas would collect within the cabinet and reach explosive concentrations.

This policy is in accordance with recommendations from numerous agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and major biosafety cabinet manufacturers themselves.

Follow the standard operating procedure poster posted nearby the autoclave.  Here's what to do:

1. Call Getinge (1-800-660-1687) to report the problem and provide them the serial number of the autoclave and/or boiler.
2. Email the Biosafety Office (biosafety@ehs.gatech.edu) indicating: the unit location, the problem, when you notified Getinge and if they have returned your call.
3. Post the Out of Service sign nearby indicating when you called Getinge to prevent the continued use of a broken autoclave.

All biosafety cabinets, laminar flow hoods, and clean benches must be re-certified on an annual basis, as well as after they are repaired and after they are moved to a new location.  This service is offered through a Biosafety Office managed vendor and can be coordinated through Biosafety.

Contact us to schedule a time for the technician to come to campus and service your unit.  The email should include:

• The unit’s manufacturer, model number, and serial number
• The building and room number
• Why the unit needs to be decontaminated.

Note that the unit will likely require re-certification depending on what is done to the unit after decontamination, something that also needs to be coordinated through the Biosafety Office.