What steps should you take if you notice poor airflow in a fume hood?

What steps should you take if you notice poor airflow in a fume hood?

• A. Open the sash to full height and continue
• B. Stop using the hood, close the sash, report to facilities/EHS, arrange for maintenance, and use alternative containment if needed
• C. Use a different hood in the lab
• D. Ignore and wait for maintenance in regular hours

Answer: (B)

When a fume hood isn’t pulling air as it should, it isn’t offering the protective barrier you rely on to keep hazardous vapors from reaching you. The safest move is to stop using the hood, close the sash to reduce the opening, and report the issue to facilities or EHS so it can be inspected and repaired. Arranging maintenance and, if needed, using alternative containment or moving the work to another hood ensures you aren’t exposed while the problem is addressed. Opening the sash fully would increase the face opening and worsen containment, and ignoring the issue or trying to work elsewhere without proper precautions postpones necessary safety measures.

When a fume hood isn’t pulling air as it should, it isn’t offering the protective barrier you rely on to keep hazardous vapors from reaching you. The safest move is to stop using the hood, close the sash to reduce the opening, and report the issue to facilities or EHS so it can be inspected and repaired. Arranging maintenance and, if needed, using alternative containment or moving the work to another hood ensures you aren’t exposed while the problem is addressed. Opening the sash fully would increase the face opening and worsen containment, and ignoring the issue or trying to work elsewhere without proper precautions postpones necessary safety measures.