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Achieving 1 Microgram Per Cubic Metre Containment Within Downflow Booths - Howorth Pharma's Exclusive Design
February 2007
Used in many leading companies throughout the world, the Howorth Pharma downflow booth is designed to provide protection to the operator's head and body area during the handling of hazardous and non-hazardous materials. |
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Howorth Pharma High Containment Screen
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The design of the booth prevents dust from ascending into the operator's breathing zone.
However, in critical applications, a higher level of containment is necessary. In 2006, Howorth Pharma introduced its first downflow booth to feature the exclusive new cGMP-design High Containment Screen. It has proved extremely popular and successful, which comes as no surprise when considering that the screen's inclusion takes conventional booth performance to an unprecedented level - a guarantee of less than 10 micrograms per cubic metre of air in the safe working zone, with levels less than 1 microgram per cubic metre independently validated in practise.
The rigid, transparent screen is made from toughened glass. It slides along a cGMP wall-mounted tubular rail and is easily manoeuvred by the operator, allowing them to move along the working area without removing their arms from the integral glove ports. Operations such as scooping from a drum, weighing, dispensing and sampling are thus effortlessly accomplished. This innovation provides maximum security with minimal operator restriction. When not needed for any length of time, the screen can be easily removed and stored.
The design of the High Containment Screen surpasses traditional flexible curtains for five main reasons: |
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Curtains tend to be full length and gather around the floor, creating eddies as the air is directed around them. The High Containment Screen stops 500mm short of the floor so airflow is not disturbed - airflow is directed under the screen towards the rear exhaust plenum, and not towards the operator's breathing zone
Plastic can become increasingly opaque due to solvent wash. However, glass does not discolour with use, so vision remains clear
Curtains are difficult to clean due to folds in the fabric, but the rigid screens are a highly cleanable cGMP design and can simply be wiped or sprayed in position
Unlike plastic curtains, glass does not attract static build-up
Customer feedback from user-groups indicates that the High Containment screen is much more "user-friendly" than flexible screens |
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