The biological safety cabinet (sometimes referred to as BSC) are stand alone containment units in which harmful agents or sensitive products may be placed. The BSC can provide laboratory personnel protection against harmful material that is stored in the cabinet. Alternatively, the biological safety cabinet may also provide protection for the product within the cabinet against outside harmful agents.
Biological Safety Cabinets are divided into three class, with assigned biosafety levels to each class. The three classes are:
- Class I Biological Safety Cabinet is for environmental and personnel protection only and has biosafety levels of 1,2,3.
- Class II Biological Safety Cabinet is for environment, personnel and product protection and has a biosafety levels of 1,2,3.
- Class III Biological Safety Cabinet is for protection against high risk bio agents and has a biosafety level of 4.
