Biosafety Cabinets (BSCs) are primary containment devices used to help reduce the risk of contamination to the work, the worker, and the surrounding environment.

These devices have rigorous testing and certification to ensure their functional capabilities of contaminant reduction according to NSF International Standard 49 but these BSCs are always tested empty without users present in front of them for a functional baseline. However, BSC are never used in this manner. There are known commonly performed actions within BSC operation that may compromise BSC containment.

In this Baker myth-buster whitepaper Kara F. Held, Ph.D. Baker Science Director and Robert Thibeault Senior Product Development Engineer address these BSC “myths”, specifically whether two or more people can work within one BSC and still maintain their intended capacity for particulate containment as measured through visual smoke demonstration and NSF International Standard 49 Microbiological Aerosol Testing.