Schools & education
Fume Cupboards Used in Secondary Schools — A Comprehensive Guide
What a school fume cupboard is for, how to use it safely, what maintenance it needs, and which standards apply to a secondary school science laboratory.
24 May 2024 Holliday Technical Services
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Section 1: Fume cupboards explained
Sub-sections: how fume cupboards work · types used in secondary schools (ducted, ductless recirculating, demonstration units).
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Section 2: Using fume cupboards safely and effectively
Sub-sections: step-by-step guide (before use, during use, after use) · common mistakes to avoid · student safety.
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Section 3: Maintenance and care
Sub-sections: regular checks by the technician · professional servicing.
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Section 4: Long-term considerations
Sub-sections: environmental factors · utilities · hardware · emergency systems.
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Section 5: Specifications and standards
Sub-sections: key standards · regulations · airflow requirements · extraction and ventilation.
The standards that apply to a school laboratory
- BS EN 14175The performance standard for fume cupboards, covering type testing, on-site commissioning and periodic testing. More
- COSHH Reg 9The legal duty to examine and test engineering controls at intervals of no more than 14 months. More
- BB88Department for Education guidance on ventilation in school buildings.
- CLEAPSSThe guidance most school science departments are audited against in practice. More
- BS 7989Applies to recirculating filtration fume cupboards.
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Section 6: Services and additional features
Sub-sections: illumination · electrical services · gas services · water services · noise levels · assumed use.
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FAQs
At intervals of no more than 14 months under COSHH Regulation 9. Most schools work to a 12-month cycle so the visit lands in the same holiday each year rather than drifting into term time.
That is a matter for the school’s own risk assessment and CLEAPSS guidance, not for us. What we would say technically is that sash height is the most common everyday cause of containment loss, so a sash position alarm is worth having wherever students work at the cupboard.
Often, yes — older school buildings frequently cannot take a duct to atmosphere, and general purpose carbon suits typical teaching chemistry. The filter must match the substances actually in use, and it is the filter rather than the extract that provides containment. See filters.
Not on age alone. A well-built cupboard has a long life and most failures are in replaceable components rather than the structure. It needs to pass a containment test — if it does, age is not the issue. See repair.
More questions on our FAQ page, or see fume cupboard services for schools.