Schools, Colleges and Universities are bound by law to ensure that Fume Cupboards are used in classrooms and effectively protect staff and students from exposure to substances that may be hazardous to their health.

COSHH Regulations ensure that higher level management have to manage the exposure of their employees to hazardous substances, but where it is not practical to prevent exposure, control measures must be employed to reduce it to an appropriate level. Fume Cupboards are often used within laboratories with the aim of containing hazardous chemicals and preventing their release into the classroom environment.

What can a Fume Cupboard be used for?

Fume Cupboards are designed to keep harmful substances away from the operator and also from other staff and students present in the area.

Recirculating Cupboards mounted on a benchtop are suitable for use in numerous situations where external extraction is impractical, but contaminant capture and filtration is necessary. This includes the filtration of fumes, vapour and particulates emanating from: Monomers, adhesives, hazardous powders/particulates, conformal coatings, resins, sealants, solders, light grinding particles, dusts and organic solvents.

Fume Cupboards should be used only for laboratory applications and not as storage areas. Using a Fume Cupboard for storage will interfere with the air flow within the working area and increases the chance that harmful substances being released into the lab/classroom environment. If there were an accident, the presence of stored chemicals in the cupboard would increase the risks.

Nobody should carry out an experiment or technology work in a Fume Cupboard that is being used as a store.

How do I keep my Fume Cupboard maintenance up to date?

Fume Cupboards will not to perform effectively if not maintained on a regular basis.

It’s a legal requirement that all Fume Cupboards are maintained and that their performance is measured at least every 12 months. A member of staff in the workplace should be responsible for ensuring that:

• Fume Cupboards in the School / University are inspected and maintained.
• Records are kept of inspection and maintenance and certificates provided by maintenance contractors are kept on file.
• Face velocities are marked on the cupboards.
• Any Fume Cupboard which is not inspected or fails its inspection must be condemned or repaired.

Which Fume Cabinet Should I choose?

Firstly, ask if what is the Fume Cupboard to be used for? To give demonstrations to the class? Does it need to be mobile or fixed in position?

Most classrooms will require flexibility and Monmouth Scientific Fume Cupboards, can positioned almost anywhere, including wheeled worktop if necessary, and once plugged in they are ready to be used.

What to consider:

• Type of applications the Fume Cupboard will be used for.
• Required internal working area of the cupboard.
• Will the unit need to be portable?
• The capabilities of the Fume Cupboard – is it going to be used on a continual basis.
• Is it being used for lab applications or design technology purposes.

For more information on how our Market Leading Clean Air Solutions can benefit you, contact Monmouth Scientific’s Technical Sales Experts on;+44(0)1278 458090 or email [email protected].