5 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Purchasing A Containment System

By Gary Partington, Technical Sales & Marketing Manager

Containment systems, if selected, operated, and maintained properly, create safe environments for people to work with hazardous materials. If you are considering purchasing one, here are five questions to answer that will help you prepare before contacting or working with a containment system vendor.

1. Why do I need containment?
The most important reason companies use containment systems is to protect personnel so they are not harmed or become sick when handling a potent compound. Will your operators deal with products that may require containment? Handling or producing certain powders, hormones, cyto-toxic or radio-pharmaceutical products may have such a requirement. 

Another reason containment is needed is to satisfy legal requirements and comply with regulations. Groups such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), tasked with helping prevent work-related illnesses, and the U.S. FDA, may require it, depending on the type of products being handled.

Containment also controls migration. When operators weigh or dispense a powder in one room, containment helps make sure it doesn’t travel down the hall into another room. Controlled environments  increase the safety and protection of everyone involved.