Chemical Hygiene Plan - Queensborough Community College ...

The topic of glove boxes can be confusing because their configuration depends on the
application. Glove boxes can be under negative or positive pressure. Glove boxes under
negative pressure are designed to protect the operator and ambient environment from the
materials or processes; glove boxes under positive pressure are intended to protect the materials
or processes from the operator and/or the ambient environment. The atmosphere in the glove
box may be inert (e.g. nitrogen, argon, helium), sterile, dry, or otherwise controlled. Some glove
boxes are equipped with filters (e.g. HEPA) while others vent to a fume hood duct or a dedicated
duct. Glove boxes can have various controls, sensors and equipment such as pressure gauges,
oxygen sensors, temperature controllers and purifiers.
The term “glove box” is most often applied to enclosures used in chemical and electronic
laboratories. Similar apparatus exists in pharmaceutical and biological applications. In the
pharmaceutical industry, “glove boxes” are called Compounding Isolators. Compounding
Aseptic Isolators are used for compounding sterile preparations while Compounding Aseptic
Containment Isolators are used for compounding sterile hazardous drug preparations. In
biological applications, Class III biological safety cabinets are akin to glove boxes. A Class III
cabinet is totally enclosed with a non-opening window, gas tight, and manipulation is achieved
through the use of attached gloves. This cabinet is designed for work with high risk agents and
provides maximum protection for the operator and the environment. Room air is HEPA-filtered
and the exhaust air must pass through two HEPA filters. An independent, dedicated exhaust
system maintains airflow to the cabinet that keeps the cabinet under negative pressure.
Regular maintenance and inspection is essential to ensure that a glove box is adequately
protecting the user, the environment and/or the product/process. Routine maintenance
procedures and the frequency of inspection (or certification) should follow the manufacturers and
regulatory recommendations. It is recommended that biological safety cabinets on campus be
inspected annually by the manufacturer or an industrial hygienist. Glove boxes used for work
with hazardous chemicals or processes currently do not have a required frequency of inspection,
but annual certification by the manufacturer or an industrial hygienist is strongly encouraged. If
the manufacturer does not offer an inspection program, contact your EHSO for information on
qualified industrial hygienists in the area.
The integrity of the glove box is key to successful containment. The gloves of a glove box are
particularly vulnerable. Gloves should be regularly inspected for cuts, tears, cracking and pin
hole leaks. If defects are found, the gloves should be replaced. Note that there are many
different types of glove box gloves that vary in thickness, material, size, etc. Choose the correct
one for the glove box and application
There are various tests that can be performed on glove boxes, the suitability of which depends on
the glove box and the application. Tests may include pressure decay (for positive pressure), rate
of rise (for negative pressure), oxygen analysis, containment integrity, ventilation flow
characterization, and cleanliness. The source of a leak can be identified using a Mass
Spectrometer Leak Detector, ultrasound, the soap bubble method or use of an oxygen analyzer.
For an in-depth discussion of glove boxes and testing, see: AGS (American Glove Box Society)
2007 Guide for gloveboxes – Third Edition. AGS-G001-2007.
66