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Cleaning Chemical Fume Hoods by Janitorial Personnel

Purpose:

To establish procedures to safely clean chemical fume hoods by janitorial personnel.

Policies and Procedures:

Occasionally, janitorial personnel are requested to clean chemical fume hoods in laboratories. These fume hoods can be cleaned safely if some basic precautions are observed.

  1. The fume hood must not have any chemical containers, either clean or empty, stored inside. Breakage of any containers could expose the individual to possibly harmful chemicals or chemical residues.
  2. The hood must not contain any analytical equipment. The equipment may be contaminated, energized, contain pressurized gases, or be hot.
  3. There must be no chemical contamination evident on surfaces of the hood. Chemical contamination may expose the worker to toxic materials or react with the water and cleaning agents, which may release toxic products.
  4. If there is a request to clean the storage area that is found under the hood, the above conditions must be met also.

When cleaning hoods, personnel must wear coveralls and eye protection in the form of goggles or a face shield. Disposable gloves must also be worn. During cleaning, the hood must be running if it is operable. Disassembly of a hood for cleaning will require evaluation by this office prior to starting the job to determine if there are any hazards associated with the disassembly that may require further protective equipment.

If there are further questions contact Environmental Health and Safety.

Date of Policy:

October 5, 1983