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Thomas Smith, Exposure Control Technologies, Inc. |
People working in laboratories rely on proper operation of laboratory hoods and ventilation systems to prevent over exposure to hazardous airborne contaminants generated during scientific procedures. Lab safety can depend on the quantity and distribution of airflow. The OSHA Laboratory Standard 29 CFR 1910.1450 and other relevant standards recommend between 4 air changes per hour (ACH) and 12 ACH of one pass air. There is little guidance on correlating risk with ACH and assessing the effectiveness of contaminant dilution and removal. This paper explores specification of ACH for labs and the impact on lab safety and energy efficiency.
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