Biobenches, also known as microbiological safety cabinets, are used to protect people, products and the environment when working with biological materials. Thanks to defined air flows, effective filter systems and structural shielding, they minimise the risk of contamination and ensure safe working conditions in the laboratory.

The HERAsafe 12/2 biobench from Heraeus Instruments available at the institute is a specially designed workstation with visual protection and its own ventilation, which offers a high standard of safety. The ventilation principle used effectively reduces the risk of contamination of the environment by generating a largely low-turbulence, laminar displacement flow in the experiment room. The incoming and outgoing air is channelled through two high-performance HEPA filters, which achieve a filtration efficiency of 99.999 % for particles with a size of 0.3 µm. A main filter cleans the air entering the working area, while a separate exhaust air filter discharges the filtered air into the installation room. The exhaust air flow rate is around 400 m³ per hour. The work surface of the Biobench measures 120 × 63 cm and is designed for a maximum surface load of 80 kg, ensuring sufficient space and stability for various laboratory tasks. The continuous aerodynamic monitoring of the interior and the filters also contributes to operational safety, allowing faults in the ventilation system to be recognised and reported at an early stage. The viewing window is equipped with an electromotive drive and warns the user if the window is in the wrong position to avoid potential health risks and support a safe workflow.