If your Dean wants to do this as an alternative to “social distancing” I would tell him/her that it is unnecessary and likely counter productive in terms of hood function.
As Richard Palluzi noted, such a panel is likely to interfere with air flow into the hood, creating added turbulence and possibly drawing more air from inside the hood into the user’s breathing zone. I would also point out that such a divider sticking out into what otherwise would be part of a walking space could be a safety hazard in itself, and, depending on the lab layout, might violate requirements for evacuation paths.
As Ray Cook noted, the likelihood of exhaled aerosols reaching the space in front of the adjacent hood in the face of the inward flow of a properly functioning fume hood (presuming something like a 100 fpm face velocity), is very, very small. The whole function of the hood is to create a pseudo-laminar (i.e. smooth) flow into the hood.
Peter Zavon, CIH
Penfield, NY
PZAVON**At_Symbol_Here**Rochester.rr.com
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> On Behalf Of Rakers, Rosemary S.
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2020 9:42 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] vertical hood dividers
Good morning all,
I have 2 4-ft hoods directly next to each other. My dean would like to get a vertical acrylic divider to put between them. He does not want to damage the hoods in any way so this divider would have to be magnetized or hang from the top somehow. He would like proof that this does not impede the air flow in the room. Does anyone have any ideas of how to go about acquiring said proof? What companies do these type of studies? The folks who install and calibrate the hoods?
And, is anyone else using such a thing? Or are you allowing people to work next to each other (within 4 ft) for a 3-hour lab? Or eliminating every other hood?
Thanks much.
Rose
Rose Rakers, Ph.D.
Director of Chemical Laboratories and Chemical Hygiene Officer
Department of Physical Sciences/College of Science
Birck Hall, Room 118
5700 College Rd. l Lisle, IL 60532
Office: (630) 829-6571
ben.edu
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