To avoid contamination in the cleanroom, you have to pass through a cleanroom airlock or personnel airlock before entering a cleanroom or a specific cleanroom area, where you have to follow certain cleaning, disinfection and gowning steps – depending on the cleanroom class, activity and industry. You can find out the basics of this entry process in this article; links to more detailed information will be provided in due course.

Airlock process dependent on cleanroom class

Cleanrooms are divided into different cleanroom classes, whereby the respective cleanroom class depends on the permissible particle concentration per cubic meter of air. According to the GMP classification system, which is used in the pharmaceutical industry, for example, there are four different cleanroom classes. The ISO classification system, which is used in the semiconductor industry, for example, has nine different cleanroom classes. The cleanroom class also determines, among other things, how the entry process into the cleanroom takes place, in particular which cleanroom clothing must be worn.

For example, if you want to enter a class D cleanroom, the requirements for the cleanroom clothing to be used are lower than when entering a class A cleanroom.

People are the biggest source of contamination in the cleanroom. This is why it is so important to choose the right cleanroom garments for each cleanroom class. You can find more information on class-dependent cleanroom garments in our article “The right cleanroom garments for every cleanroom class“. However, the right cleanroom garments not only depend on the cleanroom class, but also on the product to be manufactured or the activity in the cleanroom, as well as on industry-standard specifications.

If you want to leave the respective cleanroom area again, the clothing process is carried out in reverse order during the so-called discharge.

Order of entry into the cleanroom

Cleanrooms often extend over several cleanroom areas or individual cleanrooms, which differ in terms of the level of protection, i.e. the cleanroom class, and are separated from each other by cleanroom airlocks or so-called personnel airlocks. Within such personnel airlocks, the different cleanroom class areas are separated by a sit-over bench, also known as a step-over bench or swing-over bench.

The sequence of different cleanroom airlocks and cleanrooms can be as follows:

  • Personnel airlock S/D, which is used to access a class D cleanroom from the “street”, i.e. starting from the street clothing, by changing, cleaning and disinfecting depending on the class, whereby the airlock section for cleanroom D can also connect directly to the next airlock if cleanroom D is not required
  • Class D cleanroom or direct personnel airlock D/C, which is used to access the class C cleanroom from the class D cleanroom after further changing and disinfection processes
  • Class C cleanroom or direct personnel airlock C/B, which is used to access the class B cleanroom from the class C cleanroom after further changing and disinfection processes
  • Class B cleanroom or direct personnel airlock B/A, which is used to access the class A cleanroom from the class B cleanroom after further changing and disinfection processes
  • Clean room A

It is also possible to create an area within a cleanroom – such as a class B cleanroom – that meets the requirements of a higher cleanroom class by using appropriate equipment.

Please also read our article “Tips on how to wear cleanroom garments correctly in a GMP environment“.

After leaving the cleanroom, the disposable garments must be disposed of. The reusable garments should be collected and reprocessed daily, but at least every two days, in suitable containers.

Incidentally, in addition to personnel airlocks, there are also material airlocks that can be used to transport materials into cleanrooms. In particular, material airlocks have the advantage that no human movement is involved, thus reducing the risk of cleanroom contamination by people.

Training and monitoring for the correct use of the cleanroom airlock

To ensure that employees working in a cleanroom do everything correctly when entering via the personnel airlock and material airlock, training should take place, for which a training concept should be drawn up.

In addition, a monitoring concept should be drawn up to detect deviations from the lock specifications at an early stage.

Furthermore, regular microbiological tests of the cleanrooms and cleanroom airlocks can be used to check whether resistant germs have developed.

Further questions about cleanroom airlocks and the induction process

If you need further information on the induction process via cleanroom airlocks, such as the answer to the question of which cleanroom garments are required in which class-dependent personnel airlock, our cleanroom experts from the abovo online store will be happy to help you, with no obligation.

You can inform our experts of your request either by telephone or by e-mail:

  • Telephone number of abovo: +41 32 552 44 44
  • E-mail address of abovo: info@abovo.ch

Of course, you can also look for the right cleanroom clothing yourself in our online store.