A biosafety cabinet can be an essential tool for effective laboratory work. However, it is also essential that a complete biosafety program be implemented in any laboratory that uses a biosafety cabinet. A biosafety cabinet program can help ensure that users of the cabinet and those around it stay safe and uncontaminated while work is being done.

Not implementing a program can have disastrous results. For example, an employee at the world-famous disease lab in Winnipeg was infected with a dangerous disease due to a lack of proper training and no formal safety instruction program in the lab.

The Importance of Proper Biosafety Training Program for Biosafety Cabinet Users

There are many components to a biosafety program, and one of the most important for those using a biosafety cabinet is proper routine training. The reason routine training is so crucial is that user error when operating a biosafety cabinet can have catastrophic results.vRoutine training can help regularly remind both supervisors and employees of the important do's and don'ts of safely working with a biosafety cabinet - and there are many for users to keep in mind. For example, a training program can remind users that simple things like an arm movement blocking the cabinet's front airflow grill may result in contaminated air leaking out into the laboratory, as well as ruin the experiment inside the cabinet. It can also remind them that not working at the proper sash height may cause an imbalance of inflow and downflow velocities, resulting in contaminated air either entering the sterile work area or flowing into the laboratory. Routine training is one of the most effective ways to avoid simple user errors like those mentioned above and keep everyone safe.

Training Resources for a Proper Biosafety Training Program

If you are looking to develop the right biosafety program for your facility, one of the best resources is NuAire. NuAire is not only an expert on biosafety cabinets and their usage, but they also have a series of helpful Working Safely videos, which provide a wealth of important, easy-to-understand information about how to use a biosafety cabinet and what to keep in mind while you do so. NuAire's videos provide instructions on all aspects of using a biosafety cabinet - from proper preparation to effective cleanup - and they are an extremely valuable tool for any lab looking to build and implement a regular training program for its biosafety cabinet users.

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