Containment, Storage Cabinets and Bench Organisation
This collection covers three groups: containment and workstation equipment including clean benches, PCR workstations and ductless hoods; chemical storage cabinets and desiccators; and the large range of holders, racks, bins and organisers that determine whether a bench works or fights you. Branded equipment comes from Jeio Tech, Eisco Labs and Benchmark Scientific.
One distinction in the containment group is worth stating before anything else, because getting it wrong has real consequences. A clean bench blows filtered air outward across the work surface and toward the operator. It protects the product and gives the operator no protection at all. A biosafety cabinet draws air inward, away from the operator. They look similar from across a room, and using a clean bench for infectious or sensitising material directs the hazard straight at the person standing in front of it.
→ Part of Laboratory. Also see Biosafety Cabinets, Hoods & PCR Workstations, Lab Storage & Organization and Flammable Storage.
Clean Benches, PCR Workstations and Ductless Hoods
Three different enclosures for three different problems: protecting the product, preventing amplicon contamination, and capturing vapour without ducting.
Clean benches: product protection only
A clean bench delivers HEPA-filtered air across the work surface so the product is protected from airborne contamination. It offers the operator nothing, so it suits media preparation, plating and assembly of sterile components, and nothing hazardous. Options are the Jeio Tech BC-21H and the BC-21B. If the material is infectious, toxic or sensitising, you need a biosafety cabinet instead.
PCR workstations: contamination control
A PCR workstation is a dedicated enclosure for reaction setup, typically with UV sterilisation to destroy residual nucleic acid on surfaces between sessions. The point is physical separation: setup happens in a space that never sees amplified product, which is the single most effective measure against the carryover contamination that produces false positives. The Benchmark B5200 SureAir and the Jeio Tech PW-21 cover this. UV treats surfaces only, so it complements good technique rather than replacing filtered tips and dedicated pipettes.
Ductless hoods
The Jeio Tech DLH-11G ductless hood filters and returns air to the room rather than exhausting outside, so it installs without ductwork. The filter is therefore the only barrier between the chemical and the air people breathe, which means filter media must match what you are handling and filter changes are a scheduled maintenance item rather than something done when performance visibly drops. Also stocked: the POH-720 plastic window type hood.
Desiccators and Dry Storage
A desiccator holds hygroscopic material in a low-humidity environment. A vacuum desiccator removes air as well as moisture, which speeds drying and protects oxygen-sensitive material.
The UV block feature on several of these units addresses a separate problem: many compounds degrade under ambient light, so a transparent desiccator that keeps material dry can still be destroying it slowly on the bench. Options include the VDR-30UG round vacuum desiccator at 20 L with gauge and UV block, the VDP-30UG square version, the larger VDC-41U at 45 L and the non-vacuum SDC-45U.
For continuous automatic dry storage, the DC2-41A auto desiccator dry cabinet at 480 L with anti-static construction, which suits electronic components and moisture-sensitive materials held long term rather than dried in batches.
Chemical Storage Cabinets
Storage cabinet type is determined by the hazard: corrosives need corrosion-resistant construction, flammables need fire-rated construction, and the two are not interchangeable.
- Acid and corrosive: the SC-C acid corrosive cabinet and the PCC-720 plastic corrosive cabinet. Plastic construction avoids the corrosion that acid vapour causes to metal cabinets over time, which is why acid storage in a steel cabinet eventually destroys the cabinet.
- Fire safety: the SC3-90F type 90 fire safety cabinet. Type 90 refers to a fire resistance rating in minutes under standardised test conditions, which is what determines how long contents are protected during a fire. Confirm what rating your local fire code and institutional policy require before specifying.
- Gas cylinders: the DSGC Duco slide gas cylinder cabinet and the DSOW Duco slide open window cabinet.
For refrigerated flammable storage, see Flammable Storage, and for classified locations Explosion-Proof Refrigeration.
Lab Jacks and Bench Hardware
A laboratory jack raises and levels apparatus at the bench, which matters whenever a flask, bath or detector has to sit at a specific height relative to something else. Stainless steel construction survives the solvent and acid exposure that painted steel does not.
Eisco Labs supplies four sizes: the SSJCT10 at 3x2.8 inch surface, 6 inch maximum, the SSJCT20 at 6.5x5 inch, 11 inch maximum, the SSJCT30 at 8x8 inch and the SSJCT60 extendable to 26 inches. Size the platform to the equipment footprint and the height range to the working setup, since a jack at the top of its travel is less stable than one at mid-range.
The Jeio Tech LC GreenBox provides wireless monitoring at 2.4 GHz for equipment that needs remote logging.
PPE Dispensing and Bench Organisation
The largest part of this collection is organisation: over a hundred holders, plus racks, bins, dispensers and shelving. The argument for spending on it is simple. A glove box that lives flat on a bench takes work surface and gets contaminated. A wall-mounted holder takes none and keeps the box clean.
Glove and PPE dispensing
Glove box holders in bench and wall mount versions, a combined 2-glove box and wipe holder, and holders for masks including a child and adult mask holder and an anti-fog mask holder. Also a bunny suit holder for cleanroom garment storage and an alcohol wipe bag holder.
Bench shelving and drawers
Riser shelves lift storage off the work surface: benchtop simple riser shelves and a version with a drawer. Also a benchtop deluxe organizer, multi organizers, a 3-drawer tower, a 3-drawer rolling cart and a stackable buffer bottle storage drawer.
Bins and bulk storage
Bulk bins, a bin with lid, a front drop door storage bin and a benchtop stack system bulk bin.
Sample and consumable holders
Serological pipette holders in 4-pocket PETG, a 50 mL conical tube freezer rack, a cell culture plate organizer, a BSC tissue culture procedure organizer, a biopsy specimen cup holder, an agar plate heat seal stand and a blotter supply organizer.
Documentation and visual management
3-ring binder holders in standard, extra durable, with lid, with sign and with pen holder versions. Also 3-slot wall files, portrait document holders, a 2-pocket magazine rack, a brochure holder, barcode scanner holders and a wall-mount BP cuff and pen organizer. Also stocked: an Ambu bag hinged storage box and AMOS mounting plates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a clean bench and a biosafety cabinet?
A clean bench blows HEPA-filtered air outward across the work surface and toward the operator, protecting the product and offering the operator no protection. A biosafety cabinet draws air inward, away from the operator, protecting both. They look similar and this is a recognised source of exposure incidents. A clean bench should never be used for infectious, toxic or sensitising material.
What does a PCR workstation do?
It provides a dedicated enclosure for reaction setup, usually with UV sterilisation to destroy residual nucleic acid on surfaces between sessions. Its real value is physical separation: setup happens in a space that never sees amplified product, which is the most effective single measure against carryover contamination. UV treats surfaces only, so it complements filtered tips and dedicated pipettes rather than replacing them.
What are the limitations of a ductless hood?
A ductless hood filters air and returns it to the room rather than exhausting outside, so it installs without ductwork. That means the filter is the only barrier between the chemical and the air people breathe. Filter media must match the chemicals being handled, filter changes are a scheduled maintenance requirement rather than a reactive one, and the hood is unsuitable for anything the filter cannot capture.
What is the difference between a desiccator and a vacuum desiccator?
A standard desiccator holds material in a sealed chamber with a drying agent, maintaining low humidity. A vacuum desiccator additionally removes air, which speeds drying and protects oxygen-sensitive material. If you are only keeping something dry, standard is sufficient; if you are drying something actively or protecting it from oxidation, vacuum is the appropriate choice.
Why do some desiccators have a UV block feature?
Because many compounds degrade under ambient light, so a transparent desiccator that keeps material dry can still be degrading it photochemically. A UV block treatment filters that wavelength while keeping the chamber visible. For light-sensitive materials, it addresses a failure mode that dryness alone does not.
Can I store acids in a standard steel storage cabinet?
Not for long. Acid vapour corrodes steel over time, and a metal cabinet used for acid storage eventually degrades from the inside out, which is both a cabinet failure and a hazard when the shelving weakens. Plastic corrosive cabinets exist specifically for this. Flammable and corrosive cabinets are also not interchangeable: one is built for fire resistance, the other for corrosion resistance.
What does type 90 mean on a fire safety cabinet?
It refers to a fire resistance rating in minutes under standardised test conditions, indicating how long the cabinet protects its contents during a fire. Which rating you require is set by your local fire code, occupancy classification and institutional policy rather than by preference. Confirm the required rating with your facility safety function before specifying a cabinet.
How do I choose a laboratory jack?
Size the platform to the footprint of what sits on it, and the height range to the working setup with margin at both ends. A jack operating at the top of its travel is less stable than one at mid-range, so choose a size where your normal working height sits in the middle. Stainless steel construction survives the solvent and acid exposure that painted steel does not.
Is bench organisation equipment worth the spend?
In a lab where bench space is the constraint, yes, and the argument is space rather than tidiness. A glove box lying flat takes work surface and gets contaminated; wall-mounted it takes none and stays clean. The same applies to wipes, documentation and consumables. Getting items off the horizontal surface returns the one resource a lab cannot buy more of without moving.
Should containment equipment be certified?
Containment equipment is typically certified on installation and at intervals thereafter, with requirements set by institutional policy, applicable standards and the nature of the work. Certification verifies airflow and containment performance, which cannot be confirmed by observation. Your safety officer should confirm what applies to your equipment before it is put into service.
MediDepot Purchasing Advantages
- Price Match Guarantee: found the same model number for less elsewhere? We will match the verified price.
- Equipment Financing: useful when fitting out a laboratory with cabinets and containment equipment.
- Extended Warranty: coverage on blowers and control systems beyond the manufacturer term.
- Military Discount: available for qualifying military medical and research facilities.
- Request a Quote: cabinet rating questions, containment sizing, and bulk pricing on organisation products.
Related Buying Guides
- Lab Equipment Supplier Guide: How to Evaluate Vendors
- Clinic Infection Control Supplies Checklist
- How to Choose Disinfectants: Contact Time and Staff Safety
- How to Verify Authorized Medical Equipment Sellers
- Medical Equipment Quote Comparison Checklist
