Communication of these properties is also an essential aspect of safety and hence, correct and adequate labeling is the key. In addition to an understanding, there should be a desire on the part of the individual for self protection as well as the protection of others. The proper use of personal protective equipment will minimize or eliminate exposure to hazards associated with the procedure. Ventilation Laboratory operations involving toxic, hazardous or odoriferous materials must be conducted within the hood. Air flow into the hood mixes with emitted contaminants and carries them out the duct.
Successful containment minimizes fugitive emissions from the hood.
This protects the lab worker and keeps background levels of contaminants in the lab to acceptable concentrations. Some hoods have been designated for special purposes, such as, radioisotope hoods or perchloric acid hoods. No hood provides perfect containment of materials emitted within the hood. It is always possible to improve hood performance, but perfection is not possible. Therefore, people working in laboratories will be exposed to materials they handle and use.