Fume Cupboards

Reasons for Testing Fume Cupboards

1. Compliance with the Building Act
If the fume cupboard is listed on the compliance schedule for the building (which should be the case) it generally needs to be maintained 6-monthly by the owner’s staff, a mechanical contractor or an IQP and must be inspected at least annually by an IQP (Independent Qualified Person) registered with the Territorial Authority for inspection and maintenance of fume cupboards. Details of the inspection and maintenance requirements should be listed on the Compliance Schedule for the Building.

The purpose of the IQP inspection is to verify that the fume cupboard has been maintained and is working as originally designed and installed.

2. Compliance with the Health and Safety in Employment Act
In general, a fume cupboard will have been installed to isolate employees from a significant hazard (i.e. exposure to fumes) and regular testing will be necessary to ensure that the fume cupboard continues to offer the protection required.

3. Compliance with Internal Quality Assurance Policies
Many laboratories have established Quality Assurance procedures which require fume cupboards to be validated against a defined standard (usually NZS 7203).

Total Air Care’s Qualifications
Total Air Care is a New Zealand accredited laboratory, so our own quality procedures are regularly audited by International Accreditation New Zealand and our test reports are endorsed. In particular, Total Air Care is accredited for fume cupboard performance testing procedures as defined in NZS 7203-92.

Total Air Care is registered as an IQP with most territorial Authorities in New Zealand. We can provide inspection and maintenance for building warrant of fitness purposes.

Services Offered for Fume Cupboards

1. Standard IQP Inspection
Our standard IQP inspection is designed for the user who has a documented system in place and has the maintenance performed by qualified people – either staff or a mechanical contractor. The test consists of the essential performance tests including face velocity and smoke tests, visual inspection, and checking of maintenance records. Maintenance records need to be made available for inspection by the technician at the time of test.

Because the cabinet performance is checked by an accredited test laboratory using standard procedures, this standard inspection will be valid for establishing compliance with requirements of the Health and Safety in Employment Act and internal Quality Assurance procedures as well as the Building Act.

The test report includes a worksheet plus a certificate of compliance – or a summary if the fume cupboard needs repair.

2. IQP Inspection and Maintenance
If a documented maintenance system is not in place, the fume cupboard system must be inspected by the IQP inspector and this will normally mean accessing the roof and/or the ceiling space to inspect and maintain the fan etc.

The maintenance performed is fully documented on a maintenance record sheet.

The test report includes a worksheet plus a certificate of compliance – or a summary if the fume cupboard needs repair.

3. Fume Cupboard Cleaning
Thorough cleaning of the interior of the fume cupboard is required at least annually. This can usually be performed cost effectively by in-house staff. However, we can perform annual cleaning if required.

4. IQP Installation Inspection
The installation of the entire system is inspected and compared to the requirements of the current standard. This level of inspection may be required by the owner or the Territorial Authority to verify correct installation of a new system or a major upgrade. It may also be valuable prior to deciding whether fume cabinets need upgrading or replacing.

The report includes reporting as for the standard IQP inspection plus a detailed list of deviations from the current standard.