Hi Paul:
No pressurization standard, just recommendations. Actually there is good reason for this since different labs can require different pressures relative to hallway depending on circumstances. Examples follow:
1) A clean room may be designed to have a positive pressure since this would keep foreign airborn material from entering the lab through small cracks and influencing procedural results.
2) A conventional lab may require a negative pressure to avoid spreading fumes from spills to other labs.
3) A conventional lab in an oil refinery may have a positive pressure to prevent airborn organics from entering the lab space and disturbing results.
While in general labs are designed to have negative pressure wrt the hallway, the above examples point out why standards for lab pressurization will probably remain circumstance-driven!
Regards,
Dr. Bob Haugen
Laboratory Design and Research International
From: Paul Weller <wellerp**At_Symbol_Here**ELON.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Sent: Monday, August 6, 2012 9:18 AM
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Negative Pressure Laboratory Regulation or Standard
Does anyone know if there is a regulation or standard which requires labs to have a negative pressure relative to hallways? Thanks.
Paul Weller
Paul Weller
Science Laboratory Manager-Chemistry
Elon University
2625 Campus Box
Elon, NC 27244
Phone 336.278.6225
