Homeland Security and Bioterrorism

As the world now struggles to confront the emerging threat of bioterrorism, the United States government is working to find meaningful solutions and proper responses to this crisis. Entrusted with your safety, and the integrity of your work, we believe that giving anything less than our absolute best is unacceptable.

While public policy continues to evolve, it is clear that empowerment of state and local public health laboratories, police and public safety agencies are forming the first line of response. In response to increased demand from divergent markets, The Baker Company offers consultative and technical sales assistance, containment products and information compiled from company, industry, government and public health sources.

The Baker Company has pioneered the development of Class II, Type A and B3 biological safety cabinets, as well as Class III containment systems, isolators and biological safety cabinets for nearly 50 years. Baker offers a collection of standard containment systems, which offer various degrees of protection to personnel, product and the environment. Your Baker Company Sales Representative is available to assist in evaluating your need and matching the proper product to your application based on a thorough assessment using the following criteria:

  • Nature of the containment process or problem
  • Level of experience, training and education of proposed operator(s)
  • Site selection
  • Certification and tutorials


Standard products that are receiving the most interest for homeland security and bioterrorism applications are listed as follows:

SterilGARD e3 – Biological Safety Cabinet
BioChemGARD e3 – Total Exhaust Biological Safety Cabinet
BioPROtect II – Walk-in/Reach-in Containment System
MicroGARD – Benchtop Containment Station

Anthrax-specific Information

If you are in a position of responsibility regarding biocontainment and threats from bioterrorism of any kind, your best defense is education.

If you are considering the acquisition of biocontainment products, please consider doing business only with experienced, qualified manufacturers who offer legitimate products. Our customers include both U.S. government, research institutions and medical centers that have devoted their efforts to bioterrorism education for many years.

  • Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
  • USAMRIID (Fort Detrick)
  • New York State Department of Health
  • U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Bio Center
  • Johns Hopkins
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Unfortunately, the gravity of biocontamination cannot be left to the designs of fly-by-night opportunists who claim proficiency in biocontainment, yet lack experience and engineering expertise.

  • Basic laboratory equipment such as biological safety cabinets and containment systems are core technologies used in the war on bioterrorism.
  • Baker has received reports of inexperienced companies offering containment products for mail processing, office mail routing and package screening.
  • The science of biocontainment is precise and based on sophisticated combinations of airflow, filtration, air exchange, re-circulation, exhaust, access, monitoring and more.
  • Biocontainment products are precision engineered, carefully crafted, microbiologically tested and certified by industry professionals following installation and prior to first use.
  • Users must be educated about the nature of biocontainment, how to use containment products and what precautions to take. The Baker Company, through its corporate and outreach training program, or through its affiliated Eagleson Institute, offers education and applications assistance for our complete product line.

Learn more about dealing with an anthrax threat from the CDC:
The Public Health Advisory on anthrax published by the Centers for Disease Control titled Interim* Recommendations for Protecting Workers from Exposure to Bacillus Anthracis in Work Sites Where Mail is Handled or Processed is a valuable source of information for mail facility managers, corporate executives, supervisors and workers in any office or industrial setting.