Skip to Content

Environmental Health and Safety

Chemical Fume Hood

A chemical fume hood is an essential engineering control designed to contain, capture and eliminate hazardous chemical fumes, aerosols or particulates away from the user’s breathing zone. Proper use of a properly functioning fume hood is required for protection against exposure to many hazardous chemicals used in the laboratory. Follow important guidelines to ensure safe use of fume hoods [pdf].

New fume hood installations are tested by a third party using ASHRAE 110 standard for testing performance of laboratory fume hoods. EH&S performs yearly testing of face velocity and certifies fume hoods that meet the required face velocity, normally between 80-120 linear feet per minute.

Indications your chemical fume hood is/or may be malfunctioning:

  • fume hood is sounding an alarm
  • there is very low or no draft passing across the area below the sash opening (you can test this by holding a kimwipe or any thin tissue paper just below the sash)
  • you don’t hear the motor running
  • there is power outage in the building

If you suspect that your lab fume hood is malfunctioning, stop using the fume hood immediately.


Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

©