reply-type=original

Excellent response. This is consistent with everything that I have learned
and heard discussed in the biosafety/lab safety area with regard to
biosafety cabinets and gas lines.

Denise Aronson
Safety Partners, Inc.
Lexington, MA
781-718-5330

----- Original Message -----
From: "Olinger, Patricia L" 
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 8:10 AM
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Plumbing natural gas into BSC

> CDC, Health Canada and the ABSA (American Biological Safety Association)
> does not recommend that natural gas be plumbed into a BSC.
>
> Years ago we all learned how to "flame" the top of a media bottle or flame
> a
> loop to sterilize them.  It is not only not necessary but can cause issues
> with the containment of the BSC by disrupting the air flow.  (Heat waves)
>
> If the scientist is using good microbiological technique this should not
> be
> an issue.  They will argue that they need it to sterilize their loops or
> pipettes.  There are disposables but if that is cost prohibiting there are
> also available "micro-incinerators" where there are heated glass beads
> which
> the loop can be placed into to sterilize.  Also, most contamination of
> cultures comes from poor technique, work practices and BSC set up.  Not
> flaming issues.  There is a good video (free) available from the Howard
> Hugh
> Medical Institute available that speaks to this.
>
> Other resources would be the CDC booklet on BSCs, the CDC-BMBL and the
> Health Canada Lab Biosafety Guidelines.  They are all available from the
> ABSA website under resources - www.ABSA.org.
>
> There are also lab safety issues.  Most likely your scientist is still
> using
> 70% ethanol to wipe down everything.  First of all there are better
> disinfectants available that are not flammable. The contact time before
> the
> EtOH evaporates is not long and may not be providing the decontamination
> the
> scientist is looking for.  The other issue is pretty obvious....  EtOH and
> a
> flame.  Not a good thing.
>
> Patty Olinger, RBP
> Council Member - American Biological Safety Association
> Pfizer, PGRD/AH Kalamazoo - Associate Director Safety
> Michigan Labs - Biosafety Officer
> Pfizer, Inc
> 301 Henrietta St.  MS. 0216-126-732
> Kalamazoo,  MI  49001
> 269-833-7931 office, 269-720-1608 cell
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU]On Behalf Of
> Kerry Smith
> Sent: Monday, October 11, 2004 6:15 PM
> To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
> Subject: [DCHAS-L] Plumbing natural gas into BSC
>
>
> A professor would like to plumb a natural gas line into a BSC(metal
> interior
> surfaces).  I am awaiting information from the manufacturer.  In the
> meantime, maybe someone on the list has already dealt with this.  Does
> anyone have any experience with this issue.  The hood interior looks fine,
> but maybe there is some unforeseen issue?  Thanks
>
> Kerry J. Smith, CIH
> Industrial Hygiene Officer
> Risk Management & Safety Department
> BYU
> 801-422-2943
> Web Address  http://www.byu.edu/hr/risk/
>

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