Regular maintenance and cleaning of biosafety cabinets

Regular maintenance is very important for biological safety cabinets as protective equipment and the following recommended maintenance practices can be followed to ensure their performance.

No.	Description of maintenance tasks	Maintenance carried out
No.	Description of maintenance tasks	Daily	Weekly	Monthly	seasonal	One year	Two years
1	Disinfection of work area surfaces	√
2	Alarm acknowledgement after powering up the biosafety cabinet	√
3	Thorough disinfection of the surfaces of the leakage tank		√
4	Perform paper catch test		√
5	Clean the external surfaces of the biosafety cabinet			√
6	Clean the sliding front window			√
7	Check that all fixtures (if fitted) are in working order			√
8	Check the biosafety cabinet for any abnormalities or faults				√
9	Clean the stainless steel surfaces with MEK				√
10	Recalibrate					√
11	Replace the UV lamp (if available)					√
12	Replace fluorescent lamp						√

The biosafety cabinet needs to be cleaned regularly by cleaning the worktop and side walls with disinfectant, followed by soapy water; cleaning the front window glass, followed by glass cleaner; cleaning the outside surfaces of the cabinet with a damp cloth, especially the front and top, to remove dust; final cleaning with water to remove residual disinfectant, soapy water and glass cleaner. For stubborn stains and spots on stainless steel surfaces, use methyl ethyl ketone, in which case ensure that the stainless steel surface is cleaned immediately with water, or other liquid cleaners. Use a polyurethane or sponge to clean and disinfect the stainless steel surface in a controlled manner. Note that cleaning does not mean disinfection, which should be carried out by a professional.
Periodically test the audible and visual alarm by moving the front window so that it is neither in the safe position nor in the UV mode.
The alarm is activated.
Periodically check the mechanical properties of the biosafety cabinet; e.g. whether the front window glass slides smoothly. Check the electrical function of the biosafety cabinet; e.g. whether the fluorescent lamps need to be replaced. Check the biosafety cabinet for any defects and fix them immediately.
The purpose of performing the paper-grip test is to remove any objects that may cause blocking. As this area is a contaminated area, special care needs to be taken. Before opening the paper catch: appropriate personnel are required to protect the equipment and wipe down the biosafety cabinet, including the upper and lower surfaces of the worktop, while the airflow is running. If the interior cannot be wiped down, the biosafety cabinet needs to be disinfected.
To clean the front window of the safety cabinet, first remove the shelves and lower the front window to its lowest position to create a 10 cm gap between the front window and the airflow disperser of the filter. Open the front panel to reach through the gap and wipe the front window glass with 70% isopropyl alcohol. After cleaning and closing, push the front window into a safe position. Close the front panel and reinstall the shelf.

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