Ventilation in TB Laboratories as a Biosafety Measure

Ventilation is an essential biosafety design feature in a TB lab.

Laboratory ventilation has three basic elements: 

1. Ventilation rate  

Amount of outdoor air that flows into the laboratory.

2. Airflow direction 

Overall direction of air flowing through the laboratory should be from functionally clean areas to dirty areas.

3. Airflow pattern 

External air should be delivered to each area of the laboratory and the internal air be removed efficiently.

Adequate ventilation is the most important biosafety feature of a TB laboratory. The figure below shows the main recommendations when considering ventilation in TB labs.

Figure: Expert Group Recommendations for TB Lab Ventilation

Ventilation in TB Containment Laboratories

• A ducted air ventilation system is required.  
• This system must provide a sustained negative pressure, which maintains directional airflow by drawing air into the laboratory from “clean” areas toward “potentially contaminated” areas.
• The laboratory should be designed such that, under failure conditions, the airflow will not be reversed.
• Laboratory personnel must be able to verify directional airflow. A visual monitoring device, which confirms directional airflow, must be provided at the laboratory entry.
• Audible alarms should be considered to notify personnel of airflow disruption.
• The laboratory exhaust air must not re-circulate to any other area of the building.
• The laboratory building exhaust air should be dispersed away from occupied areas and from building air intake locations, or the exhaust air must be HEPA filtered.

Resources

• TB Lab Biosafety Manual, WHO, 2012.

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