Fume hoods allow lab employees to work with potentially dangerous chemicals while minimizing the risk of exposure to toxic fumes. The sash (window) on a chemical hood allows the worker to view and manipulate objects within the enclosure while keeping fumes from toxic or volatile chemicals away from the worker’s face.
A fume hood works by pulling air away from the user into the enclosure with a blower. The fume hood then filters and vents the air to the outdoors through a facility exhaust system. Alternatively, a fume hood may filter the air to remove dangerous fumes and then return the air to the room. Most fume hoods are equipped with gauges or alarms that warn the user of low airflow and potential exposure to hazardous fumes.
