Smart people ask good questions. Good questions, Ralph.

Ralph, I was looking mainly for a basic chemical fume hood evaluation and inspection checklist which could be used by an EHS technician once or twice a year but you and Kim Gates, who replied privately, have expanded my horizon somewhat.

You asked:

What aspect of a fume hood are you interested in evaluating:
- the design of the hood itself

I wasn't thinking of that but Kim got me interested in a commissioning checklist. It would be hard to do periodic evaluations without data on commissioning, such as the performance specs at the time of installation.

- its containment?

ASHRAE 110 appears to be the way to go, this is something that would fit well in a commissioning checklist.

- how it's being used?

Yes, insofar as we would want to identify uses that compromise the hood;s operation, like clutter and or heat or other turbulence-generating activities.

- whether it's operating as designed relative to the general ventilation system in the lab?

That would be more difficult to check. I won't pretend that is something we systematically follow up on in my institutions; I'm curious to know what others are doing?

I think that these would require distinct forms?

Yes, and in some cases the persons completing the forms might need different competencies as well.

W.

- Ralph

Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Keene State College

ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu

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