Biological Safety Cabinets | Public Health WalesMonmouth Scientific Supports Public Health Wales with Class 2 Biological Safety Cabinets For COVID Testing.
Client Background
Public Health Wales is the national public health agency in Wales and one of the 11 organisations which makes up NHS Wales. The Agency work to protect and improve health and well-being and reduce health inequalities for the people of Wales.
Key Objectives
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread and the UK’s Mass Testing Capacity increased, Public Health Wales required a solution to guarantee a highly clean environment in which to analyse thousands of swabs from COVID Test Centres across Wales.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that a Class 2 Cabinet BSC should be used any time a procedure has the potential to generate aerosols or droplets as a result of pipetting or centrifugation, making our Guardian® units the perfect choice for handling COVID-19 samples.
Our Solution
- 10 x 1200mm Guardian Class 2 Biological Safety Cabinets.
COVID-19 infections can be diagnosed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR testing detects very small amounts of viral genetic material or RNA, even as small as one particle, in a swap sample from the nose or throat.
The 10 Class II Biological Safety Cabinet installed and commissioned in Newport by our team of experienced installation engineers, utilises a specially ventilated enclosure, developed for sterile material handling to guarantee operator and working material protection from potential biohazard infections and performing a vital role in Wales’ COVID-19 Testing scheme.
When the test sample reach the laboratory, a solution known as a ‘reagent’ is added to it. If virus present this reagent starts a chain reaction, creating billions of copies of the genetic material in the virus allowing it to be detected and analysed by scientists to provide a positive result.
Inside the Type A2 cabinet installed for Public Health Wales, air is drawn in through the front aperture, mixing with the downflow air as it enters the front intake grille and is split with 70% of the air recycled and pushed back into the Work Area through the downflow HEPA Filtration. The remaining 30% is sent through the exhaust air HEPA filter back into the laboratory environment.
Fitted with H14 HEPA Filters to create an ISO Class 4 Clean Environment, the unit’s Air Diffuser and Sloped Intake guarantees efficient and smooth airflow. Inside the cabinet, UV Lighting Strip ensures complete VHP & Formalin Sterilisation, keeping the biosafety cabinet’s interior clean when not in use and ensure efficient and complete disinfection.
The Guardian Micro-Biological Safety Cabinet has been independently type tested and approved to BSEN 12469:2000 by the UK’s leading authority on Biological Safety Cabinets, the Health Protection Agency at Porton Down.
“We have received excellent service from Monmouth Scientific throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and the team have been very supportive and reactive to Public Health Wales’ requirements.
The 10 safety cabinets were delivered, installed and commissioned during the process of setting up the Lab at Imperial Park.”