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Proper use of fume hoods will prevent eye, skin, respiratory problems

Lab Safety Advisor, February 22, 2008

By using a chemical fume hood correctly, laboratorians can lessen exposure to chemical reactions to prevent breathing difficulty as well as skin and eye problems. Minimizing the user's exposure is achieved with negatively pressurized chemical fume hoods with air flowing through the sash opening at 75-125 lineal feel per minute and exhausted to the building.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) have a qualitative test for chemical fume hoods called the ANSI/ASHRAE 110 tracer gas test. This test rates fume hood spillage in parts per million (PPM) so that it can be directly related to permissible exposure limits (PEL) and action levels as mandated by OSHA. The face velocity of fume hoods should be between 85 ppm and 115 ppm, with the ideal being 100 and higher.

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