The connection between Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and Erlab has deep roots, but like roots, the commonalities aren’t always seen or even understood. This blog is intended to provide clarity on how EHS and Erlab create a rooted system to sustain our environment and the health and safety of those working in a lab.
Protecting the Laboratory Environment and Beyond
The health of the environment in which their colleagues work must be safe, but it should go far beyond what happens in the lab, as the environment should also encompass the outside air, keeping not only their employees safe but also neighboring facilities and neighborhoods. As the lead word in their job title, one may assume there is interest at some level, in how they can protect the “environment”. Unfortunately, while many engineered controls are put in place for the safety of the lab worker, most are very damaging to the outside environment, with heavy energy loads, Co2 emissions, and harmful chemical pollutants all dumped into the atmosphere.
Though to be clear, this is not the fault of anyone specific, but rather a matter of accepting traditional engineered controls, without fully understanding the alternatives such as filtered fume hoods. One very distinctive and impactful technology is the ductless filtering fume hoods which do not require the need for HVAC, having a cascade effect on the facilities structure, energy consumption, Co2 emissions, and overall flexibility. Deciding to integrate certified filtration that protects personnel as well as their sensitive project work would seem to be a winning strategy. Yet due to reservations, possibly based on out-of-date technology, poor-performing equipment or misleading information (not all ductless fume hoods are created equal), some EHS members will disregard ductless equipment out of hand, (‘we’ve never considered them in the past’), even if it could positively improve their colleague’s indoor air quality (IAQ) along with their outside ENVIRONMENT.
EHS staff members would do well to keep an open mind and research the successes of ductless fume hoods. These hoods are currently in use in educational and commercial establishments that highly recommend them.
Reducing Chemical Exposure Through Improved Health Safety Measures
It is a sad but true statistic that people working in labs are subject to a myriad of chronic and exacerbated health issues. Even though the EHS managers may follow all procedures and rules for keeping a lab and its occupants safe, there are numerous invisible dangers in the air. An obvious indicator is fumes or odors permeating the lab but there are also dangerous health risks that give no indication of the diseases they create. The health of lab personnel is the responsibility of EHS, yet even with their best efforts, technicians, teachers and students working daily with common chemicals are still getting ill with permanent health risks, like diminished breathing capacity and increases in asthmatic episodes, to name a few mild issues.
These facts alone should be enough to start looking at what safety measures are currently in place along with what is an antiquated approach to engineered control systems and permissible exposure limits. Statistically, our data has proven when a filtered fume hood is installed, there is a reduction of chemical exposure and with the addition of other filtered solutions the results only improve.
Dedicated Filtration Safety Experts
When it comes to safety, the goals of EHS and Erlab are indistinguishable. With every filtered fume hood purchased, Erlab provides a very in-depth analysis of the chemical handlings used within the fume hood to determine the feasibility of filtered fume hood being a viable solution, which is about 80% of the chemical handlings performed in today’s chemistry. With this analysis, we negate any concerns of safety. In order to perform this analysis, there must be an approved chemical listing testing the efficiency of the filter during many different concentrations, multiple times. From this data collected throughout 50 years of R&D, we can determine the precise life cycle of the filters before we have detected any release at the filters exhaust greater than 1% of the TLV. Any detection above TLV is what we consider to be a saturated filter. That’s 99% efficiency through the filter’s life cycle.
This document, along with verification and certification by third-party labs, assists the safety officer in approving the use of chemicals, quantities, and filters and how they will safeguard personnel. All devices produced by Erlab must pass this test to validate performance and guarantee their compliance with the strictest standards.
In addition, Erlab ductless fume hoods follow standards set forth in AFNOR NF X 15-211; ANSI z9.5 ASHRAE 110; NFPA 45 and CSA Z316.5 2020. These standards require performance criteria related to filtration efficiency, enclosure containment efficiency, face velocity, and documentation.
In terms of safety, Erlab vouches for the user’s safety and security and puts it in writing. Erlab also educates its customers about the most efficient type of filter(s) required, its lifetime and the best method for detecting its saturation. A dedicated team of filtration safety experts informs clients when they may need a new filter based on when their filters were purchased as well as SMART sensing technology to monitor spikes in concentration past the primary stage of filtration, which is enriched with a communication platform, to alert the users, EH&S, and lab managers of such an occurrence. However, since Erlab equips their hoods with redundancy filtration, even at the detection stage, your safety is never compromised. This detection guarantees that release from the filters exhaust will never exceed 1% of the chemicals TLV that are used in the hood. Like any engineered, controlled device, administrative controls must be implemented to ensure the stability of functionality. However, unlike most, Erlab’s technology has built-in redundancy, detection, communication, and safety specialist to ensure optimal performance and safety is always achieved.
Ductless Fume Hoods Are A Proven Environmentally-Friendly Solution
Lab technicians and managers want to use ductless chemical filtration products (we know, they tell us every day,) but EHS managers, often with the best of intentions, have set up roadblocks to purchasing ductless fume hoods even when presented with evidence that these air filtering products have been proven safe, effective, and eco-friendly.
This is confusing as it is at odds with the ‘EHS’ mission. We suggest that EHS managers need to dive a little deeper, consider our shared goals outlined in this document, and realize that ductless fume hoods are not sold by Erlab as the end-all for use with ALL chemicals and applications in the lab. However, due to their ease of setup and use, chemical use verification, flexibility, lower associated costs, built-in safety alerts, and lack of negative impact on the environment, they continue to fill a key role in the growth, environment, health, and safety of all laboratory personnel across the globe.
As it has been presented, it is obvious that EHS directives and Erlab goals are really united on the same path, as we both strive to guarantee that the air breathed in laboratories is pure 24/7, for the health and safety of all.
Note to EHS Professionals or Concerned Readers: If you have come across established objections concerning adding Erlab ductless chemical filtration systems to your lab, where possible, we would like the opportunity to present our findings and data to address any concerns. Let’s begin a dialogue – contact us at info@erlab.com or 800-964-4434.
