Technical Bulletin for Biosafety Cabinet Owners: What To Do About NSF/ANSI Standard 49-2014

By Elizabeth Dille, Ph.D., Product Manager

On February 08, 2016 in Articles

Do you have a Class II Type A2 or A/B3 BSC that has an exhaust connection?

On October 15, 2015, NSF released a memorandum retracting the previous considerations for grandfathering certain types of exhaust connections for Class II Type A BSCs under NSF/ANSI Standard 49-2010. Therefore, all certifications must now be done to the current version of the standard.

From NSF’s Memo:

Effective April 15, 2016, NSF Accredited field certifiers shall no longer certify either direct-connected Type A cabinets or canopy connected Type A cabinets without alarms, even if specifically asked to do so by the customer.

See the full NSF Memo.

Hard ducting of Type A and/or Type A/B3 Biosafety Cabinets (BSCs), was acceptable for some NSF-listed BSCs from 1981-2002. Canopy connections, defined in the late 1970s did not have a requirement for an exhaust alarm until 2012. As a result, there may be numerous NSF-listed Type A BSCs with a hard connection, or with canopy not equipped with a suitable alarm system that can no longer be certified by an NSF-Accredited certifier.

Does this affect me and my Labconco Class II BSC?

First identify what subtype BSC you have:

Class II Type A/B3 – Available between 1984 and 2002, this cabinet could be canopy connected or hard connected.
Class II Type A2 – Available after 2000.
Class II Type B2 – Available after 1984.

Next, identify what generation Labconco Purifier Class II BSC you have:

Purifier® I BSC – Built between 1984 and 1995
Purifier® II BSC – Built between 1995 and March 2000
Purifier® Delta® BSC – Built between March 2000 and September 2007
Purifier® Logic® BSC – Built between September 2007 and March 2013
Purifier® Logic®+ BSC – Built after March 2013

Consult the chart:

Using the chart below, if your BSC is marked with a green √ then you are compliant under NSF/ANSI Standard 49:2014 and require no alterations to your Labconco BSC. If, however, your cabinet is marked with a red X then your cabinet does not comply and changes will need to be made for your NSF Accredited Certifier to “OK” your BSC. An “N/A” indicates that your BSC either doesn’t exist (for example, there were no Logic A/B3s) or are not affected by the A2 canopy revisions (for example, if you have a Type B2 BSC).

What do I do if my Labconco BSC does not comply with the 2014 version of the standard?

If your Class II Type A/B3 or A2 BSC is recirculating, then there is nothing to do to your cabinet to make it compliant.

If the BSC is connected to an exhaust system and is indicated by a red X then some alterations will be required – and Labconco may or may not be able to fully accommodate your needs. Keep in mind, NSF/ANSI Standard 49 also recommends an operational life of a Class II BSC to be 15 years. Cabinets older than this that require modification should be assessed for replacement rather than repaired or modified to allow longer use – if feasible.

Purifier I A/B3 (1984-1995)

If your A/B3 BSC is hard connected, then this connection will need to be removed, a new canopy will need to be fabricated (Labconco can provide you with exhaust flow and dimensional requirements for this canopy). This canopy will need to be fitted with an Airflow Monitor that provides a visual and audible alarm.

Purifier II A/B3 (1995-3/2000)

Purifier Delta A/B3 (3/2000-2002)

Purifier Delta A2 (3/2000-9/2007)

If your Delta A2 is canopy connected and you did not add an Airflow Monitor after the 2011 NSF Memo, then one will need to be added to your installation. The Labconco Guardian 500 can be used.

Purifier Logic A2 (9/2007-4/2010)

If your Logic A2 is canopy connected, and does not have a box on the right, sloped side of the canopy, and you did not add an Airflow Monitor after the 2011 NSF Memo; then the canopy should be replaced. A Ventus™ Canopy and retrofit kit (contact Labconco Product Service for details) should be installed directly wired into your Purifier Logic. This will provide audible and visual alarms through your Logic LCD Display.

If your Logic A2 is canopy connected and the canopy has a box on the right, sloped side of the canopy, it should be wired into the Purifier Logic and your display will provide the required alarm settings required by NSF/ANSI Standard 49-2014. No further action is needed.

Feel free to contact Labconco for further information.

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