WHAT IS A FUME HOOD? HOW DOES IT PROVIDE PROTECTION?
Fume hood is a ventilated cabinet that ensures that all kinds of work with chemicals in laboratory environments is carried out safely. Pollutant particles that can travel freely in the air cause damage through breathing. With inhaled air, these chemicals enter the lungs and from there into the bloodstream and can be distributed throughout the body.
When working with corrosive, toxic and/or carcinogenic substances such as nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, mercury, carbon tetra chloride, ammonium dichromate, etc., a fume hood must be used.
What to Consider When Choosing a Fume Hood?
The first and most important thing to consider when buying a fume hood is whether the device is manufactured in accordance with TS EN 14175 standard. It must be ensured that the fume hood is manufactured in accordance with this standard. This should be documented and, when requested, you should be able to have one-to-one air flow tests of the device you have purchased.
In devices whose air flow dynamics are not adjusted in accordance with TS EN 14175 standard, there will be serious leaks, performance decreases, the protective properties of the device will be reduced and even no protective feature may remain.
Another issue to be considered when buying a fume hood is the choice of model and feature. Here, it is especially important to determine for which purpose it will be used, with which chemicals or devices it will be used. If these issues are not taken into consideration, the product to be purchased may lose its functionality over time and you may not achieve the desired performance.
The fume hood suction system must be capable of providing continuous air flow and be able to operate 24 hours a day. Electrical installations and equipment and mechanical installations and equipment must be isolated from each other. Electrical sockets and switches must be outside the fume hood working area.
WHERE IS THE FUME HOOD USED?
Fume hoods, which are demanded for sensitive tests in modern laboratories, are also used for the removal of potentially dangerous aerosols. In today’s conditions, fume hoods are the preferred devices in the laboratories of every sector, especially for the safety of the individual working in accordance with the occupational safety rules and within the scope of environmental protection rules.
In which cases should a fume hood be used?
Çalışmanızda aşağıdaki kimyasallardan birini kullanıyorsanız çeker ocak kullanmalısınız:
- Toxic volatile materials (chloroform, formaldehyde)
- Corrosive and abrasive chemicals
- Flammable, combustible and explosive chemicals
- Carcinogens or particularly hazardous substances
- A procedure to release an aerosol of a toxic substance
- Reactive or explosive materials and chemicals with the possibility of splashing
- Toxic gases (NH3, CO, F2, CI2, H’S, NO2, etc.)
- All odorous materials, hazardous or not
WHAT IS THE EN 14175 STANDARD? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
EN 14175 standard started to be used instead of DIN 12924 standard in 2003. In our country, it has been accepted under the name TS EN 14175 since 2004.
EN 14175 standard consists of 7 separate sections;
1. Terms and definitions
2. Safety rules and performance specifications
3. Type test methods for constant flow fume hoods
4. On-site test methods for installed fume hoods
5. Recommendations for installation and maintenance
6. Variable flow fume hoods
7. Fume hoods for high heat and acid load
Test results at the flow rates determined by the manufacturers are given to the manufacturer as a report. For this reason, the results of the test are as important as the test itself. Because EN 14175 standards determine the methods, not the suitability of the fume hood.
A fume cupboard that has been tested and certified according to EN 14175 is a fume cupboard where the values at the flow rate at which the test is applied are checked and the amount of dirty air coming out is reported. The control of the values here and the evaluation of the fume cupboard are left to the user.
WHY SHOULD I GET SERVICE MAINTENANCE FOR FUME HOODS?
Fume hoods used in laboratories, especially fume hoods, experience performance losses over time due to continuous operation with chemicals and serious problems arise in the future.
Regular maintenance and repair of fume hoods is indispensable for the health of employees and the safety of working environments. Thanks to the service and maintenance service, the costs of the enterprises are reduced and performance losses are prevented.