With so many options available, biological safety cabinets, laminar flow cabinets, isolators, downdraft tables, and more, how do you know which is best for your laboratory or process?

Each solution serves a unique purpose, and choosing the wrong one can impact compliance, safety, and workflow efficiency.

Whether you’re operating in pharmaceutical manufacturing, life sciences R&D, high-containment pathogen work, or precision electronics, this guide aims to help walk you through your options.

Before selecting any containment equipment it’s essential to start with a formal risk assessment, conducted by a qualified professional.

A proper assessment will:

• Identify risks associated with your materials, processes, and personnel
• Determine the hazard group (HG) or biosafety level (BSL)
• Recommend suitable engineering controls based on those risks

This ensures that the solution you choose meets all regulatory requirements (like HSE, COSHH, GMP, or EN 12469:2000), supports a safe working environment, and integrates smoothly into your facility.

⚠️ Skipping this step can result in under- or over-specifying equipment, both of which can be costly to correct later. Starting with a risk assessment helps you make a confident, compliant choice from the outset.

Clean Air Solutions for Laboratories & Research Environments

Biological samples, research, and diagnostic work

For handling biological samples, research materials, or diagnostic procedures, Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs), also called Biosafety Cabinets, create a controlled environment that protects the operator, the product, and the external environment.

Class 1 BSCs

Ideal for handling low to moderate-risk biological agents and chemical powders. These cabinets protect the operator by drawing air away from the user and filtering it through a HEPA-filtered exhaust.

Class 2 BSCs

Provide dual protection for both the operator and sample. Ideal for handling biological samples and research materials, they are commonly used in microbiological testing, diagnostic work, and research involving low- to moderate-risk biological agents.

Class 3 BSCs

Fully enclosed, gas-tight cabinets for handling high-risk pathogens and regulated materials. These cabinets offer the highest level of containment with double HEPA-filtered exhausts to protect both the operator and the environment.

Class 1-HY Hybrid BSCs

A versatile Class 1 BSC with an additional glove port, offering flexible protection for tasks that occasionally require full-barrier glove operation.

Class 3/1 Hybrid BSCs

A flexible solution that operates as a fully enclosed Class 3 cabinet or as a Class 1 BSC with interchangeable front screens, making it ideal for labs with varying containment needs.

 

Containment for Powders, Solvents, and Odour-Producing Substances

When handling powders, volatile solvents, or substances that generate strong odours, effective localised extraction is essential for protecting personnel and maintaining a clean workspace.

Downflow Tables

These ventilated workstations draw airborne particles and vapours downward, away from the operator’s breathing zone. Custom options are available for various applications, including integrated sinks, service ports, and optional HEPA and carbon filtration for solvent and odour control.

Carbon-Filtered Biological Safety Cabinets

For applications involving chemical vapours or unpleasant odours, activated carbon filtration can be added to our full range of cabinets to capture and neutralise contaminants at the source, ensuring compliance with COSHH and HSE guidelines.

 

Pharmaceutical and Biotech Manufacturing

In pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing, maintaining ultra-clean environments and reliable containment is essential for both product integrity and operator safety.

Isolators

• Positive-Pressure Isolators – Designed for aseptic preparation and sterile product filling, these isolators maintain a slight overpressure to exclude contaminants. Suitable for compounding sterile preparations in compliance with EU GMP Grade A conditions.
• Negative-Pressure Isolators – Used for cytotoxic drug handling and other high-risk processes involving hazardous materials. These systems draw air inward and features double HEPA filtration to protect both the operator and the external environment.

Laminar Flow Solutions

Laminar flow cabinets and solutions deliver above ISO Class 5 clean air conditions, making them ideal for protecting non-hazardous sterile products during sensitive tasks such as IV bag preparation, tissue culture work, or sterile packaging.

• Vertical Laminar Flow Cabinets – Provide unidirectional, HEPA-filtered clean air downwards from the top of the cabinet, ideal for aseptic dispensing, media preparation, or sterility testing.
• Horizontal Laminar Flow Cabinets – Direct clean air from the rear wall across the workspace. These are suited to tasks where product protection is required and where operator protection is not a concern.
• Custom and Hybrid Laminar Flow Solutions– CAS offers bespoke configurations, including walk-in booths, dual-airflow designs, and modular enclosures that integrate seamlessly with automation or mobile workflows.

Class 2 Biological Safety Cabinets

Class 2 BSCs are also widely used in pharmaceutical and biotech environments, especially for tasks requiring both operator and product protection.

They are ideal for:

• Aseptic compounding and non-hazardous sterile drug preparation under GMP conditions
• Handling low- to moderate-risk biological agents, such as hazard group 2 pathogens
• Biotech R&D and cell culture work, including tasks involving viral vectors and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Containment for High-Risk Pathogens or Hazardous Substances

If you’re working with high-risk pathogens, hazardous substances, or tightly regulated materials, high-containment systems keep both your team and your environment protected – and ensure you’re compliant with biosafety and regulatory requirements.

• Class 3 Biological Safety Cabinets – Designed for work requiring the highest level of containment, Class 3 BSCs are fully enclosed, gas-tight units operated through arm-length gloves. They are ideal for BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs, particularly when handling high-risk infectious agents, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), or highly regulated materials.
• Negative-pressure isolators – Negative-pressure isolators offer a sealed environment with inward airflow to prevent the escape of contaminants. These systems are perfect for handling hazardous substances, such as cytotoxic drugs or high-potency active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs), ensuring maximum operator and environmental protection.

Clean Air for Sterile Product Preparation

When preparing sterile products such as TPN, IV bags, injectables, or performing aseptic quality checks, maintaining a particle-free, ultra-clean environment can be achieved with Laminar Flow Cabinets.

• Vertical Laminar Flow Cabinets – These cabinets deliver a consistent, filtered downflow of air over the work surface, reducing the risk of particulate disruption. Ideal for aseptic compounding, sterile transfers, and tasks where maintaining product cleanliness is required.
• Horizontal Laminar Flow Cabinets – Designed to direct filtered air across the workspace from the rear of the cabinet, these systems are well-suited to applications where operator protection is not required, such as component preparation, sterile packaging, or quality assurance inspections.

Ultra-Clean Environments for Electronics and Precision Engineering

When assembling sensitive components like microelectronics, sensors, or cleanroom instruments, even the smallest particles can impact performance. CAS offer a range of solutions that maintain a clean, controlled air environment to protect product integrity throughout the process.

• Laminar Flow Solutions – Available as cabinets, mobile and large-scale configurations, these systems deliver a continuous stream of filtered air across the work area to prevent particle contamination. Ideal for precision assembly, testing, and packaging in electronics and high-tech manufacturing.

Robotic & Automated Equipment Requiring a Clean Controlled Environment

In high-throughput and robotic workflows, ensuring containment without compromising accessibility or automation performance is essential. Our containment solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly with your automation systems, providing protection while supporting efficient operations.

• Robotic BSCs – Our Class 1 and Class 2 Biological Safety Cabinets are engineered to house laboratory automation units safely. These cabinets provide the necessary containment with additional features, including data ports, internal power supply, and removable trays, ensuring smooth operation while maintaining a safe environment.

• Robotic Enclosures – Custom-engineered to accommodate large and complex robotic setups, these clean air enclosures offer flexible configurations with easy-access doors, glove ports, and integrated services. They are ideal for safeguarding both your team and automated processes, while supporting seamless integration with advanced laboratory systems.

Still Unsure Which Containment Solution Is Right for You?

Choosing the wrong clean air or containment system can lead to safety, compliance, and efficiency issues.

At Contained Air Solutions, we provide a free design service that helps facilities across all industries identify and implement clean air and containment solutions tailored to their specific applications.

If the solutions mentioned don’t meet your exact needs, don’t worry – we can create a custom solution designed specifically for your application.

Explore our recent specialised and custom solutions.

Along with our design services, we provide ongoing support and maintenance to keep your systems running smoothly. With lifetime product support, our experts are always available to assist with any questions or needs you have.

 

Contact us today to schedule your consultation and take the first step towards a solution that works for you.