The University of Iowa
Environmental Health and Safety

Chemical Fume Hoods

General Information

For general information on chemical fume hoods see the UI Chemical Hygiene Plan, Section 9.0 Facility and Equipment Safety.

Questions about this topic can be directed here. 

Annual and New Installation Hood Airflow Performance Checks

Environmental Health and Safety staff check airflow performance of all campus fume hoods annually and subsequently issues reports on the status of the fume hoods in each UI building.  Facilities Management (FM) rechecks airflow performance after operations and maintenance personnel have completed any necessary work requests.

Fore newly installed fume hoods, contractors are responsible for initial ASHRAE testing.  Once the fume hood has passed ASHRAE testing, the project manager will contact EHS for initial certification. 

Mechanical Malfunction or Repair Requests by Laboratories and Work Groups

If your fume hood breaks during the year, the unit using the hood should directly contact the FM Work Control Center (335-5071 or https://facilities.uiowa.edu/fmyourservice) for problems or repair requests related to mechanical aspects of the hood such as alarms, monitors and controllers, or when the hood appears to not be operating correctly. After FM completes the work request, FM rechecks airflow performance and notifies EHS of the repair.  

Send all repair requests through the Green button on the FM@YourService portal. Certain repairs may require FN to secure outside contractor resources.

Fume hood replacements will continue to be sent in through the Black button on the FM@YourService portal. 

If you have any questions on using the portal, please reach out to FM@YourService. 

Fume Hood Maintenance List

Environmental Health and Safety checks airflow performance of all campus fume hoods annually. If a fume hood needs adjustment, EHS submits a work request to FM Work Control Center (WCC). Most hoods are successfully adjusted after one attempt. 

The list below shows only those fume hoods that required adjustments. The table will be updated as information becomes available. Repaired hoods will remain on the list for approximately one month after the final retest is completed.

Table Key: FM Request
           Date EHS submitted work request to FM WCC.
Table Key: Results
           Failed- Airflow was outside EHS target of 100-120 fpm. Do not use until repaired.                                             

NEW - Click here to link to the Fume Hood Table
 

Training

Chemical Fume Hoods - W485CM

  • EHS training course is recommended initially and annually for the indicated audience.
  • Audience: Individuals who handle chemicals in a research lab or other work area and use a chemical fume hood to limit exposure to hazardous chemical vapors, gases, fumes, aerosols or other particles.

For further training and registration information, go to EHS Safety Training.

Resources

UI Chemical Hygiene Plan, Section 9.0 Facility and Equipment Safety