Safe Fume Hood Practices

When using a laboratory fume hood there are good work practices that can greatly reduce the risk of an accident.

Foremost, fume hoods are the primary mean by which people limit their exposure to harmfully chemicals in laboratories. Therefore it is important to keep your face outside the plane of the hood sash. Always wear the necessary protective gear like goggles or even a face shield if the chemical being used merit such protection. Even doing quick motion near an open hood sash can alter the airflow resulting in harmful gases escaping in the laboratory.

Try and maintain good housekeeping practices inside lab fume hoods. Do not store excessive amount of chemical inside the fume hood, remembering to always store flammables and acids in the proper types of cabinets. Try and limit it to the smallest amount of chemical needed to complete the task at hand. This reduces the risk of an accident and will not affect the airflow patterning inside the hood.

Following these rules and using common sense goes a long way for fume hood safety in the laboratory.