Which piece of equipment in an animal facility requires regular recertification?

Biosafety cabinets in the procedures area require regular recertification because they play a critical role in protecting both personnel and the research subjects from exposure to hazardous agents and biological materials. These cabinets provide a controlled environment that needs to be validated on a regular basis to ensure they are functioning correctly and providing the necessary level of protection. Regular recertification involves testing their airflow, filters, and overall performance to meet safety standards and regulations.

In contrast, while incubators, animal caging systems, and sterilizers are also important pieces of equipment in an animal facility, they do not require the same level of regular recertification as biosafety cabinets. Incubators need periodic maintenance and calibration checks, caging systems must be cleaned and inspected but are not typically recertified, and sterilizers need functional checks but do not require the same stringent recertification protocol as biosafety cabinets to ensure biosecurity and staff safety in laboratory settings.