Mary Ellen:

            I wouldn’t suggest you put holes in the enclosure because it might void your warranty and there are possible liability issues. I work for a company that manufacturers polypropylene enclosures. We use iris ports with great success and surrogate powder tests show they work and can contain very well (micrograms per cubic meter).

            I would suggest that you have testing done to ensure safety (ASHRAE 110 and containment testing using a company like IES using surrogate powder).

V/R

Mike

 

Hi,

 

Has anyone ever altered their their fume hood?  Here's my issue:

 

 

Many of our researchers use a vacuum pump under the fume hood and plumb the vacuum hose through the utility panel in order to connect to the glassware inside the work area.  

 

This leaves the panel off or ajar inside the hood disrupting the vortex and permitting harmful vapors to enter inside the hood and possibly the surrounding area.

 

We would like to drill a hole into the utility panel to permit vacuum hose to enter snugly and permit the hood to function properly. 

 

 Would there be any special safety concerns in cutting out a hole in the panel due to the  while poly resin material?

 

Would you have a better idea on how to get the hose into the hood? 

 

We have drilled through the work platform in the past but most researchers use the utility panel entry.  It seems that entry through the front of the hood interferes with worker use,  leaves sash open and takes up more space.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Mary Ellen

--
Mary Ellen Scott, PhD.
Safety Specialist II
Case Western Reserve University
EHS - Environmental Health and Safety
Service Building 1st Floor Rm 113
2220 Circle Dr.
Cleveland, OH 44106-7227
216-368-6077
216-368-2236 (Fax)
maryellen.scott**At_Symbol_Here**case.edu
“There is no science without fancy and no art without fact” – Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977)