Fume Hood Safety Series: What Makes a Fume Hood Safe?
Chip Albright, founder and president of Fume Hood Certified; 2025 Lab Design Conference workshop leader; Fume Hood Risk Mitigation Digital Conference speaker
Chip Albright, founder and president of Fume Hood Certified, is a globally recognized authority in laboratory safety and equipment, specializing in fume hood performance. With more than 40 years of industry experience, he offers extensive knowledge of safety standards, regulations, and cutting-edge technological advancements. In this Fume Hood Safety Series, he shares valuable insights and cautions for professionals involved in laboratory design, construction, and renovation.
Chip will be leading a workshop on “Validating Fume Hood Safety and Mitigating Risk” at the 2025 Lab Design Conference in Denver on May 11. Register now to secure your spot in this workshop, as space is limited! (Please note: This workshop is a separate add-on to your Lab Design Conference ticket.)
Additionally, you can watch Chip’s free on-demand webinar, “Your Chemical Fume Hood Is On Fire: What Do You Do?” from the Fume Hood Risk Mitigation Digital Conference. Register now to access the free webinar, and contact us at aia@labdesignconference.com to earn AIA LU/HSW credit for completing the video.
A laboratory fume hood is one of the most critical pieces of safety equipment in any lab setting. But having a fume hood isn’t the same as having a safe fume hood. So, what makes a fume hood safe? It’s not just about air velocity or equipment specs—it’s about containment, testing, training, and a deep understanding of risk.
At its core, a fume hood’s job is fourfold: Capture, Contain, Dilute, and Exhaust. These four functions form the backbone of fume hood safety. A safe fume hood must first capture harmful vapors and particulates, contain them inside the fume chamber, dilute them to safe concentrations with room air, and then exhaust them away from people—usually outside the building.
“At its core, a fume hood’s job is fourfold: Capture, Contain, Dilute, and Exhaust. These four functions form the backbone of fume hood safety. ”
Unfortunately, many people in the lab world misunderstand what makes a fume hood effective. For decades, the industry has overemphasized face velocity—the speed of air entering the hood. While useful as a diagnostic tool, face velocity alone does not guarantee safety. Over 70 percent of hoods that fail containment tests still have “acceptable” face velocities. That’s a major disconnect.
Containment is the true measure of safe fume hood performance. Loss of containment means chemicals are escaping the hood and potentially entering the user’s breathing zone—a serious failure. The presence of turbulence in and around the hood is often the primary culprit, caused by airflow imbalances, room instability, or even the presence of the user themselves.
Regular containment testing, not just velocity checks, is essential. The ASHRAE 110 protocol provides a deeper view into hood performance, looking at turbulence and the dynamic interaction between the hood and its environment. Tools like the Tri-Color Airflow Visualizer give users a real-time view of airflow, helping them understand when and how the hood is actually working.
Training is another critical component of fume hood safety. Lab users must be taught not just how to operate the hood, but how to evaluate its condition, minimize turbulence, and understand the risks of exposure. A sash isn’t just a window—it’s a safety shield protecting the user from chemical splashes, sprays, and even small fires or explosions. Knowing how to use the sash as a safety shield is key.
A fume hood is part of a larger system—the room’s ventilation, the building’s exhaust strategy, and the behaviors of its users. Safe performance requires balance, planning, and practice. Emergencies rarely follow a script. But when users are trained, when equipment is tested, and when containment—not just compliance—is the goal, the odds shift in our favor.
In short, a safe fume hood isn’t defined by numbers on a gauge. It’s defined by its ability to keep users safe during real-world conditions. Because in the lab, everything is fine—until it isn’t.
