Safety Cabinet Procedure Clifford Pemberton Ext: 6464 / 6488.

Safety Cabinet Fumigation Procedure

This procedure is for fumiatin Class ! and Class !! safety cabinets usin
"aporised #ormaldehyde$ %ith or %ithout an &mmonia neutralisin solution.
E'uipment re'uired: #ormaldehyde solution ()*+4,-.$ /0 %ater$ P1C tape$ Scissors$
23/E2 electrical plu adaptor$ &mmonia solution ()4-. 5
"aporisin de"ice (#&S6777 prorammable e"aporator/neutraliser or
standard e"aporator..

,. Ensure the safety cabinet is clean$ clear of materials (pipettes$ 8uran bottles$ 8ispoSafes$ etc.
and safe to fumiate (not in use$ no ob"ious damae..
6. Clearly label the cabinet %ith 9#umiation in Proress: to ensure the process is undisturbed.
). 2sin a #ume ;ood (not a Safety Cabinet.< prepare a %or=in dilution of the formaldehyde
solution to >67- (if usin the combination e"aporator/neutraliser. or >,4- (for standard
e"aporator %ithout neutraliser.. !f ammonia neutralisation is bein used< use the #ume ;ood to
prepare a %or=in dilution of the ammonia solution >,,-.
4. Place the "aporisin de"ice inside the Safety Cabinet to be fumiated and connect it to the
electrical supply: This may re'uire use of the 23/E2 plu con"erted or an extension lead if
there is no electrical supply point inside the cabinet.
!f performin a formaldehyde+only fumiation (no neutralisin solution. on a class !! safety
cabinet$ %ithout an external extraction system< the main "ent on the cabinet needs to be
connected to an external extraction point usin fumiation tubin ? this should be attached and
scre%ed into place before the e"aporator de"ice is placed inside the safety cabinet.
4. !f usin the #&S6777 prorammable e"aporator/neutraliser or similar de"ice< turn the de"ice on
and proram the "aporisin run< fumiation re'uires S!@ ;02/S bet%een the formaldehyde
fumiation cycle and the ammonia neutralisation cycle. Ahen prorammin the delay time
ma=e sure you i"e yourself sufficient time to secure the cabinet. &dd the formaldehyde
%or=in solution to the fumiation %ell of the de"ice (left$ red on the #&S6777. 5 add the
ammonia neutralisin solution to the neutralisin %ell (riht$ blue on the #&S6777.. Start the
fumiation cycle (press and hold B&C and B03C on the #&S6777. and proceed to step *.
6. !f usin a standard$ non+prorammable e"aporator de"ice it needs to be carefully chec=ed before
addin the formaldehyde %or=in solution: The de"ice needs to be s%itched BonC inside the
Safety Cabinet but s%itched BoffC outside the Safety Cabinet. This is usually accomplished by
connectin the de"ice to the cabinet po%er supply$ turnin the unit on usin the on/off s%itch
and then s%itchin off the Safety Cabinet po%er supply ? this %ill enable you to bein the
fumiation cycle remotely once the Safety Cabinet has been secured. 0nce the de"ice is ready
for remote acti"ation< add the formaldehyde %or=in solution to the %ell and proceed to step *.
Safety Cabinet Procedure Clifford Pemberton Ext: 6464 / 6488.
*. Seal the Safety Cabinet %ith the "aporisin de"ice inside< close all panels tihtly ? includin the
niht closure door normally used to %or= %ithin the cabinet. !f usin an extension lead to
connect the "aporisin de"ice to an external soc=et< close the cabinet as %ell as possible$
lea"in only a small ap for the lead. Dany Class ! Safety Cabinets ha"e an access port built
into the niht closure door for this purpose.
8. 0nce the Safety Cabinet has been sealed it must be secured to pre"ent "apour lea=ae: 2se P1C
tape to secure the edes of the niht closure door$ air "ents$ access panels on the outside of the
cabinet and the outflo% from the cabinet fans. Class !! Safety Cabinets often ha"e a ;EP&+
filtered outflo% "ent on the top or side of the cabinet and this must be sealed durin fumiation.
Class ! Safety Cabinets enerally ha"e a filtered extraction system built in$ this should not be
sealed but ma=e sure that anyone that could be %or=in near the far end is a%are of the daner
before the cabinet is "ented (Estates or external enineers..
E. !f usin a standard$ non+prorammable e"aporator it can no% be s%itched on remotely.
,7. Ensure that the fumiation cycle is proceedin correctly and that there are no lea=s ? this can be
done by "isual inspection (a %hite$ steam+li=e condensation should form on the cabinet %indo%.
,7+,4 minutes after the cycle beins. !f you smell formaldehyde or notice any irritation of your
eyes or nose< s%itch off the po%er supply to the "aporisin de"ice if safe to do so (usually
accomplished by s%itchin+off the cabinet. and e"acuate the area< treat as a formaldehyde
spill/lea= and consult the rele"ant C0SS; forms.
,,. The fumiation cycle %ill ta=e at least six hours to complete. !f usin a prorammable
e"aporator %ith a neutralisin solution< allo% a further t%o hours for the neutralisation cycle.
,6. &fter the fumiation (5 neutralisation. cycle has been completed the cabinet can be "ented: #or
class ! safety cabinets this is as simple as turnin on the extraction fan and runnin the cabinet
as normal$ %hile slo%ly remo"in the P1C tape seals and fully openin the niht closure door.
&s abo"e (step ,7.< if you notice any smell of formaldehyde or ammonia durin the "entin
process$ e"acuate the area and treat as a spill.
Class !! Safety Cabinets may or may not ha"e an external extraction system< if the class !!
cabinet does ha"e an external extractor it can be treated as a class ! cabinet "entin and you
should proceed to step ,4.
,). !f the cabinet does not ha"e an external extractor the "entin procedure %ill depend on the
fumiation method used:
!f a prorammable e"aporator %ith a neutralisin solution has been used the P1C tape seals can
be remo"ed and the safety cabinet run normally$ "entin into the room.
!f a formaldehyde+only fumiation has been carried out the cabinet should already be connected
to an external extraction point (step 4.< ensure the external extraction system is open and turned
on$ then run the cabinet normally and slo%ly remo"e the P1C tape seals. &s abo"e (step ,7.< if
you notice any smell of formaldehyde or ammonia durin the "entin process$ e"acuate the area
and treat as a spill.
,4.&fter the cabinet has been fumiated and "ented< all internal surfaces %ill re'uire cleanin ? as
%ill the e"aporator de"ice. Clean %ith *7- !DS< most surfaces %ill only need a 'uic= %ipe but
there may be residues on some surfaces that may be harder to remo"e. The residues %ill
normally be %hite or colourless but a 'uic= %ipe %ith 1ir=on %ill turn them yello%/ Cleanin
%ith 1ir=on is fine but it should be follo%ed %ith !DS to a"oid rust formation.