National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 14175‑2:2003. Together with BS EN 14175‑1:2003, BS EN 14175‑3:2003, BS EN 14175‑4:2004, DD CEN/TS 14175‑5:2006, BS EN 14175‑6:2006 and BS EN 14175‑7:2012, it supersedes BS 7258‑1:1994, BS 7258‑2:1994, BS 7258‑3:1994 and BS 7258‑4:1994, which are withdrawn.

The UK committee advises that prior to purchasing a fume cupboard, a risk assessment should be performed to assess the risks associated with the substances that are to be manipulated. This would ensure that the fume cupboard is suitable for its intended purpose and that current exposure limits for toxic substances are not exceeded. It is suggested, therefore, that users may need to draw up a specification appropriate to their particular requirements, within the overall permissible limits of this standard and the information on installation included in the National Annex. For users with little experience of purchasing fume cupboards, it may be helpful for trade associations, employers’ bodies or other organizations associated with a particular activity to give guidance on a suitable specification. An example would be Building Bulletin 88 from the Architects & Building Branch of the Department for Education and Employment, which is currently under revision and to be published in future as G9a Fume Cupboards in Schools by CLEAPSS.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee LBI/1/1, Laboratory furniture and fittings.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its committee manager.

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication has been prepared in good faith, however no representation, warranty, assurance or undertaking (express or implied) is or will be made, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by BSI in relation to the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of this publication. All and any such responsibility and liability is expressly disclaimed to the full extent permitted by the law.

This publication is provided as is, and is to be used at the recipient’s own risk.

The recipient is advised to consider seeking professional guidance with respect to its use of this publication.

This publication is not intended to constitute a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 28 November 2003.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 3 March 2003.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Foreword

This document (EN 14175‑2:2003) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 332, "Laboratory Equipment", the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by November 2003, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by November 2003.

This part of EN 14175 is applicable from the date of publication (DOP). For fume cupboards complying with a national standard in Europe until DOP, this part of EN 14175 or the national standard may be applied until DOP + 6 months.

This part of EN 14175 is not applicable to fume cupboards which have been installed in the workplace before DOP + 6 months if not otherwise declared by the manufacturer.

EN 14175 consists of the following parts, under the general title Fume cupboards

Part 1: Vocabulary
Part 2: Safety and performance requirements
Part 3: Type test methods
Part 4: On-site test methods
Part 5: Recommendations for installation and maintenance (in preparation)
Part 6: Variable air volume fume cupboards (in preparation)

According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Introduction

The performance of a fume cupboard can be expressed conveniently in qualitative terms as the ability to contain and remove a pollutant or pollutants released from a source within the workspace of the fume cupboard, as well as the ability to minimise possible perturbing influences, such as air draughts, operator movement, personnel traffic. This is effected by an inward airflow through its opening, reducing risk to the operator and other personnel which is the primary function of this type of protective device. Other important performance criteria are the protection against splashes, dangerous atmospheres and the effects of implosions.

The safety requirements given in this part 2 of the European Standard provide a guideline for the construction of fume cupboards and serve as basis for testing of fume cupboards.

Two different procedures to investigate the safety and performance are available:

type testing in accordance with the requirements given in this part 2 and the test methods given in part 3 of this European Standard;
testing on-site in accordance with the requirements given in this part 2 and the test methods given in part 4 of this European Standard. This on-site testing investigates an individual fume cupboard in its particular environment and does not constitute a type test. The results cannot be transferred to further production of the design or model of the fume cupboard concerned.

1 Scope

This part 2 of EN 14175 specifies safety and performance requirements and objectives for general purpose fume cupboards. In addition, dimensions and marking of general purpose fume cupboards are specified as well as requirements on the product manual to be supplied with fume cupboards.

Recommendations on the evaluation of conformity of general purpose fume cupboards with the requirements of this part 2 of EN 14175 are given in the informative annex A.

For terms and definitions of fume cupboards EN 14175‑1 applies. For type testing of fume cupboards prEN 14175‑3 applies. For microbiological safety cabinets EN 12469 applies.

This part of EN 14175 does not address recirculatory filtration fume cupboards or fume cupboards for carrying out work on radioactive materials. For special purpose fume cupboards other requirements may apply.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 Dimensions

4.1 Overall width of fume cupboard

4.2 Overall depth of fume cupboard

4.3 Height of work surface

4.4 Dimensions for customized fume cupboards

5 Basic safety and performance objectives

6 Materials

6.1 General requirements

6.2 Glass components

6.3 Sash

7 Basic safety requirements

7.1 General requirements

7.2 Construction

7.3 Sash

8 Airflow

8.1 Threshold values

8.2 Air flow indicator

9 Services

9.1 Outlets

9.2 Drainage

9.3 Electrical sockets

9.4 Lighting

10 Product manual

11 Marking and labelling

Bibliography

BS EN 14175-2:2003

Fume cupboards - Safety and performance requirements

Current

Published:

31 Jan 2025