Which cabinet types are approved for chemo drug compounding in a negative pressure environment?

• A. Class II Biological Safety Cabinet; Class III Biological Safety Cabinet; Both; None
• B. Laminar Flow Hood
• C. Open Bench
• D. Class I Cabinet

Answer: (C)

Containing hazardous drug aerosols during chemotherapy compounding relies on engineering controls that create and maintain containment. Negative pressure helps ensure that any air escaping from the work area is drawn away and filtered, rather than spreading to adjacent spaces. The cabinet types designed for this are Class II Biological Safety Cabinets and Class III Biological Safety Cabinets. Both provide containment and HEPA-filtered exhaust, with Class II providing protection for both the worker and the product, and Class III providing the highest level of containment through a totally enclosed, gas-tight enclosure operated under negative pressure. Laminar flow hoods and open benches are not appropriate for hazardous drug compounding because they do not offer adequate containment and can permit exposure or aerosol spread. Class I cabinets offer some operator protection but do not provide the same level of containment for hazardous drugs as the BSCs. So the cabinets that meet the requirement are the two containment BSC types.