Maximizing User Safety Through

Ergonomic BSC Design

Abstract
Unlike many industries and professions, the very nature of science is hazardous. Technicians and researchers
are required to handle and are in close proximity to substances, agents and materials that are inherently risky.
For this reason, greater care should be taken in selecting equipment that maximizes safety by reducing the risk
of the workstation’s effect on the user. This review focuses on the associated risks of laboratory and clinical
procedures and the required equipment that keeps the scientist safe from the agents being used; with emphasis
on the evolution of human factors research and ergonomic features on biosafety cabinet engineering and
design at Labconco Corporation (Kansas City, MO).

Introduction
Though it may not seem obvious, every job has its own hazards. The majority of these hazards are due to how
we, as humans, interact with our work. Laboratory science is no different; many scientists may not associate
potential hazards and injuries to the layout and configuration of their work centers.

The field of Human Factors and Ergonomics is a multidisciplinary approach to understand how humans physically
interact with their work environment and how design changes can help with safety and productivity. As defined by
Merriam-Webster (n.d.), ergonomics is an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people
use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely. One area of research in this field strives to
improve how equipment design directs ease of use and positively impacts user safety.

Laboratory and Clinical Risk Factors

The biological and chemical agents utilized in laboratories inherently come with risk. However, other risks
present include “…repetitive motion injuries during routine laboratory procedures such as pipetting, working at
microscopes, operating microtomes, using cell counters and keyboarding at computer work stations,” (OSHA,
2011). These risks are cited to be significant in the onset of several Repetitive Strain Injuries, or RSIs. Laboratory
acquired RSIs can include:

• Tendinitis and tenosynovitis

• Rotator Cuff Tendinitis

• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

• Wrist ganglion cysts

• Back injuries

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 To lessen work-related risk factors, users and
equipment manufacturers should strive for so-called
“Designing tasks, equipment
‘neutral posture’ – a position where the human body is
and work stations to suit the
under the least amount of stress or discomfort.
user can reduce human error,
Ergonomic improvements aim to promote this posture
accidents and ill-health.” (Mitchell & Longyear, 2012).

Ergonomic Risk Assessments are performed to identify

the risk factors associated with the criteria of a specific job or task. Several resources exist that provide check-
lists, gap analysis, or risk assessment worksheets. OSHA provides a free template here: https://www.osha.gov/
sites/default/files/2018-12/fy14_sh-26336-sh4_Ergonomic-Assessment-Checklist.pdf

Biosafety Cabinet Risks

Working with biohazardous samples or compounded sterile preparations (CSPs) often require the use of a
biological safety cabinet (BSC) to protect both the scientist and the samples. Within this environment, scientists
often perform repetitive tasks for long hours. There are intrinsic risks associated with all of these tasks, and they
are compounded when combined.

Cumulatively, the risk factors accompanying these tasks are:

• Poor Working Posture – Head bent forwards for long periods, raised and/or outstretched arms, fixed postures
held for prolonged periods.

• Upper Limb Disorder Risks – Repetitive actions, awkward wrist/arm posture, forceful actions (including
pinching grips).

• Environment – Space constraints, lighting, temperature, vibration, noise, etc…

• Load – Working with sharp, hot, cold or toxic/hazardous objects.

• Other Factors – Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) that might make work more taxing.

• Fatigue – An accumulation of multiple risk factors listed above.

BSC Design Standards

Biosafety cabinets should be designed, tested and listed to an approved performance standard such as NSF
International's NSF/ANSI Standard 49 or the European Union EN 12469. These standards and product listings
ensure that BSCs provide a basic safe environment for working with biohazards, provided the cabinet is
operating properly. A BSC’s ergonomic features and user comfort dictate how an operator works, thus directly
affecting their productivity and safety. “Designing tasks, equipment and work stations to suit the user can
reduce human error, accidents and ill-health. Failure to observe ergonomic principles can have serious
consequences for individuals and for the whole organization. Effective use of ergonomics will make work safer,
healthier and more productive” (HSE, n.d.).

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Currently, the safety standards have not established requirements for ergonomic specifications. Driven by
competition, manufacturers have made great advances by engineering products to increase safety through
improved comfort. These design features must be evaluated by researchers, technicians and safety officers. It
is of utmost importance for these users to completely evaluate a product for all features, as there are vast
differences between how each manufacturer approaches BSC design and human factors engineering.

Ergonomics & Pipetting

The standard risk factors associated with pipetting involve heavy usage of the hands and lower arms.
Such factors include repetitive movements and thumb usage, static posture, reach and twisting of
the arms and wrists in ‘unnatural’ ways. As laboratories have been analyzed for ergonomics,
strategies have been developed to reduce the strain placed on researches due to incessant pipetting.
OSHA recommends the following (OSHA, 2011):

• Position the chair as to eliminate the need to reach up to pipette.

• Do not twist or rotate the wrist while pipetting.

• Hold the pipette with a relaxed grip.

• Select a lightweight pipette, properly sized for the user’s hand.

• Where possible, utilize a multi-channel pipette.

• Use pipettes with finger aspirators and thumb dispensers to reduce thumb strain.

• Take a 1-2 minute break after every 20 minutes of pipetting.

When using a pipette in a biosafety cabinet, extra planning should be performed to ensure the layout
of the work center allows for directional work, reducing the amount of strain placed on reaching
across one’s body.

Evolution of the Human Experience

For over four decades, Labconco has recognized the need for BSCs to address these risks and their resulting
effect on end user comfort, productivity and safety. The history of Labconco biosafety cabinet design has
consistently lead the industry in the evolution human factors holding the position as the industry’s premier
innovator in ergonomic features.

The first Class II Biosafety Cabinets resembled fume hoods in general appearance. They were console units
with straight vertical safety glass sashes. These sashes pivoted and would not fully close when the BSC was
not in use. There was a flaw in this approach biological tasks tend to require significant time to perform, and the
work is highly repetitive in nature. Standing at a BSC, as one would in front of a chemical fume hood with a
straight vertical sash, is not realistic; putting substantial strain on the back, legs, arms and neck.

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The First Purifier

In 1983, Labconco released the first Purifier Class II BSC. This was the first BSC of its kind, designed for a
seated operator. A reconfiguration of internal systems (the blower and filters) allowed for these BSCs to be
bench-mounted, and by tilting the sash 10° away from vertical permitted a researcher to sit with their legs
comfortably below the BSC, placing them much closer to their work, improving working posture, reducing limb
and neck fatigue; and thus, reducing risk factors. The angled sash decreased the reflection of light, eliminating
glare which ensured good visibility. Labconco removed all console models from their catalog by 1995.

The changes brought on by the Purifier cabinet addressed the immediate comfort needs of users, and were
quickly adopted by other industry leaders. Always striving for the best, though, Labconco enlisted the
assistance of a Human Factors Practitioner, and consulted with several microbiologists to once again create
progress in biosafety.

Delta Brings Change

The 2000 release of the Delta® brought to the industry a new standard for human factors design.

Delta’s novel design brought unprecedented comfort to almost every user. Unlike previous BSC’s that were
designed for the average sized user, the Delta cabinet was optimally designed around users ranging from the
2.5 and 97.5 percentile for height of both men and women (Labconco & Erickson-Harper, 2003).

To achieve this optimization, Labconco attempted to forget everything they had learned to date about
ergonomics, building a cabinet around a human operator. This meant addressing each and every risk factor
identified by the Human Factors Practitioner and end users like microbiologists..

To alleviate lower limb discomfort from hard and sharp angles, the air inlet grille was elevated and curved,
building in an arm/elbow rest. A second row of airflow slots were added to ensure continued safe airflow when
the user’s arms were at rest.

Several aspects of the safety glass sash were addressed. The use of
ultraviolet (UV) light in cabinets was, before 2000, handicapped by
the inability to fully close the sash. The new sash, still tilted, was fully
closing and the counterbalanced and anti-racking design ensured
easy, smooth movement. The inclined sash could be operated by any
user with a single finger anywhere along the width of the sash. To
better accommodate different body sizes and heights, the Delta
came in two different nominal sash heights, 8” and 10”. The sash
handle extrusion was substantially reduced in width to maximize
sight lines into the BSC (Labconco & Erickson-Harper, 2003).

The work zone of the BSC underwent changes as well. The total depth was configured to allow for comfortable
reach distances anywhere in the cabinet, while not feeling claustrophobic (the Delta boasted the largest cubic
foot volume of any Class II). The work surface was designed for easy cleaning and to be removable. Today, it
continues to be the only work surface that is a single piece of stamped stainless steel. This requires no welding
and removes all seams; which creates a dished work surface with perfectly radiused edges.

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The last piece of the puzzle involved changing how the user and BSC controls interacted. First, the analog
pressure gauge used to indicate safe cabinet performance was transplanted from its position in the header
panel above the sash and out of view of the user, and integrated with the Delta’s interior for easy viewing (at
line-of-sight while seated). This technology has since been deleted for more accurate torque-sensing filter
metering through an LCD display. The BSC's controls were also removed from the header panel, placed on the
right hand corner post, removing the need of the operator to stretch above their head to control cabinet
function. Finally, provisions and installations of utility service valves (fixtures) and the internal electrical outlets
were moved forward, toward the operator, and up on each side wall within close reach, but out of the way of
manipulations at the work surface. With these changes, all BSC controls and gauges were compliant with the
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and accessible by wheel chair bound users (Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice., 1991).

Logical Comfort

To increase the basic safety of BSC design, Labconco

engineers incorporated an Electronically Commutated
Motor (ECM) driven blower into the Logic®. This motor
technology comes with a host of advantages over
previously used motors (Hunter & Rouse, 2008). These
benefits come from two key features of the ECM.

1. The design of the ECM is much more efficient than

that of other motor systems.

2. The ECM can be paired with a monitoring system

that provides valuable status information.

The efficiency of the ECM can be experienced by a

user. Long time BSC users complained of two inescapable characteristics of a BSC: heat and noise. Traditional
motor systems required the induction of magnetic fields to turn the blower, a by-product of which is heat.
Subsequently, the air moving through the cabinet would heat, causing sweating, discomfort and fatigue of the
researcher. The ECM does not require this magnetic induction and therefore does not heat up, maintaining
ambient temperatures. Also, a provision of the ECM’s design and efficiency is a reduction in the noise emitted
from the motor blower. Operators realize a 50% reduction in noise levels when BSCs utilize an optimally sized ECM.

The Logic continued to add value to the ergonomic efforts of Labconco when the antiquated analog gauge was
replaced by a Digital LCD display (mounted at line-of-sight while seated, of course). Icons were utilized for
at-a-glance monitoring of critical working parameters including filter loading, airflow disruption, and cabinet
component functions. Furthermore, a status line gives descriptive feedback on system conditions using words,
replacing the commonly used but vague red indicator light and buzzer, the minimum requirements of BSC
safety standards.

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The microbiologists Labconco consulted also expressed the need for a cabinet to clearly communicate when
the HEPA filters require service. The HEPA Filter Life Remaining gauge (expressed as a percentage) delivers an
accurate, real-time evaluation of filter life. This is only made possible by the incorporation of the ECM (Hunter &
Rouse, 2008).

Embracing Human Factors

Building on four decades of ergonomic innovation, the Logic®+ design team scrutinized every BSC, looking to
find, design and utilize the best features found throughout the industry. Their work resulted in the development
of the most extensive ergonomic package, and the MyLogic™ Operating System.

Ergonomics & Microscopy

Anyone who has performed even the most simple of tasks in a microscope has realized that these
devices are not without their drawbacks. The arch of the oculars, bright lights and control knobs
place extra strain on the eyes, neck, shoulders, lower back and wrists. Human Factors Design has
come a long way in microscopy to address each of these risk factors. Articulating ocular heads and
telescoping eye pieces have helped to reduce strain on the neck and shoulders. Many microscopes
now have accessories such as digital displays with optical and digital zoom that are easier on the
eyes, and pads to support the arms while controlling the focus and stage of the microscope.

Some of the biggest improvements in safety and performance when working with a microscope
cannot be purchased, but are practiced by the operator. These include (OSHA, 2011):

• Sit close to the work surface or microscope.

• Avoid leaning on hard edges.

• Adjust the chair, workbench, or microscope as needed to maintain upright head posture.

• Take short breaks every 15 minutes, close the eyes or focus on something in the distance.

• Every 30-60 minutes, get up, stretch and move around.

Keeping the ergonomically sound design of the Delta and Logic as the foundation, the goal of the Logic+ design
is to maximize safety through observing and understanding human habits. Modifications that enhance the
human experience were added to the counter balanced, anti-racking, inclined sash, line-of-sight digital display,
ADA compliant cabinet controls, electrical outlets and utility service fixtures. For safe entry of cords, cables and
tubing a portal was designed that keeps connections out of the way, and protects both the lab and the BSC
interior from loss of containment through a vacuum lock system. The Vacu-Pass™ Cord & Cable Portal was first
submitted for NSF/ANSI Standard 49 approval in 2012 and formally adopted into BSC design.

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Another feature commonly cited as a safety feature only intrigued and confounded the design team, the internal
electrical outlet. Their presence and location in the BSC is ergonomically designed, but the outlet covers
protrude into the interior of the BSC's and utilize stiff, loaded springs. The self-closing mechanisms, required by
laboratory design codes, utilize loaded springs that exert significant force on the doors; turning them into high
velocity pinch points. To counter this the Logic+utilizes custom stainless steel covers and the hinges are
dampened for soft, slow closing execution. Further more, the stainless steel electrical outlet cover is flush
mounted, easing access and easing cleanability during surface decontamination of the cabinet’s interior.

In today’s fast paced world, it is expected that a device

be ‘plug-and-play’. In consumer products, this typically
means that the set-up of a device is launched at initial
start-up and is a ‘self-guided’ procedure. This fact was
not lost on the design team. Building from the digital
display employed in the Logic, the MyLogic OS utilizes
an optimized, multifunction, color display with intuitive
programming designed to guide an operator through
cabinet set-up, calibration and diagnostic assistance.
Using full sentences, MyLogic OS leads a new user
through Smart-Start™ set-up, allowing for control of
the cabinet’s entire operation with simple sash movement. Cabinet status is displayed on the digital display a
diagram of a BSC highlights areas of the cabinet
affected by or causing an alert or alarm condition.
“…the goal of Inclination
This graphic is accompanied by a status message
that describes the condition and provides correctional Technology is to maximize safety
walk-through instructions. Though not recommended, through observing and
the Logic+ could easily be set-up and operated understanding human habits.”
without ever consulting the Operator’s Manual.

Conclusion
The first Class II biosafety cabinets were developed with the advent of laminar airflow in the 1960’s (CDC, 2009).
Even though comfort is paramount to the safety of the operator, it took nearly 40 years before industry
manufacturers began taking human factors and seriously. In the time since then, BSC design has taken on its
own look and feel, with thoughtful regard toward how form should meet function. However, there exists a 06
human factors in HF/E engineering, it has become expected that there be greater advances made in a
shortened period of time between product releases.

For Labconco, this paradox has been met in different ways, but always with the same goals – to provide total
comfort, effortless operation & maximum safety. To this end, there is only one road to take; collaboration with
laboratory users leading to innovation in design. Invention in BSC human factors design will continue to develop,
and will have positive impact on safety performance. How each BSC manufacturer approaches this concept is
the underlying reason why biosafety cabinets, when designed to meet just a safety standard, are not created equally.

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 Works Cited
HSE (n.d.). Health and Safety Executive: Human Factors Design. [Online] Available at: www.hse.gov.uk/
humanfactors [Accessed 06 July 2022].

Hunter, J. & Rouse, M. (2008). The Advantages of Using an Electronically Commutated Motor (ECM) in Biosafety
Cabinets. Kansas City, MO: Labconco Corporation.

Labconco & Erickson-Harper, T. (2003). Designing a biosafety cabinet to optimize user ergonomics and safety: a
review of the Labconco Purifier ® Delta® Series Biological Safety Cabinet. Kansas City, MO: Labconco
Corporation.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Ergonomics. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ergonomics

Mitchell, T. & Longyear, S. (2012). Laboratory Ergonomics: Risk factors and workbench assessment. Online:
KIPDF.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2011). Laboratory Safety: Ergonomics for the Prevention of
Musculoskeletal Disorders. Washington, D.C.: https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/
OSHAfactsheet-laboratory-safety-ergonomics.pdf

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Center for Disease Control. (2020). Biosafety in Microbiological
and Biomedical Laboratories. 6th ed. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.

U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. (2020). A Guide to Disability Rights Laws. U.S. Government
Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents. Retrieved from: https://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm

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