Small But Mighty
Whether in pharmaceutical labs, hospitals, or electronics manufacturing—one of the most overlooked sources of contamination is the transfer of materials between rooms of differing cleanliness levels. This is where pass through hatches, pass through cabinets, and integrated decontamination machines come into play. These critical components provide a safe and compliant method for transferring equipment, products and samples between clean zones without compromising air quality or cleanliness standards.
Why Cleanroom Transfers Matter
Cross-contamination during material transfers can lead to compromised research, defective products, or even regulatory breaches. According to a report by the Australian Government Department of Health, contamination control is among the top compliance concerns in facilities handling critical medical or pharmaceutical processes. Globally, ISO 14644-1 standards guide cleanroom classification and operation, with particular emphasis on maintaining airflow, pressure, and surface cleanliness.
Pass through hatches and pass through cabinets act as physical and procedural buffers—ensuring that products move between rooms without introducing particulates, microbes or chemical residues. When paired with a decontamination machine, these systems offer an effective, traceable, and automated way to uphold integrity within cleanroom environments.
What Are Pass Through Hatches and Cabinets?
Pass through hatches are small, wall-mounted enclosures—usually stainless steel or powder-coated aluminium—that allow items to be passed from one room to another. Pass through cabinets are a larger, often floor-mounted variant designed for bulkier items or high-volume use. Both are equipped with interlocks to prevent both doors from being opened simultaneously, a critical safety feature.
Some models include HEPA or ULPA filtration and can be integrated with UV-C lighting or hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) systems for enhanced disinfection. When connected to a decontamination machine, items placed inside are automatically subjected to a controlled cleaning cycle before being released into the adjacent room.
The Role of Interlocks in Contamination Control
Interlocks are central to preventing breaches in cleanroom barriers. These mechanical or electronic systems ensure that only one door of the pass through cabinet or hatch can be opened at a time. This not only prevents pressure imbalances but also stops unfiltered air from entering clean areas. More advanced setups include touch-screen interfaces and digital access logs to ensure full traceability—crucial for GMP-compliant pharmaceutical environments.
When to Use a Decontamination Machine
In facilities where sterility is paramount—such as hospitals and hospital pharmacies, compounding pharmacies, or vaccine production plants—a decontamination machine is non-negotiable. These machines can be used independently or integrated into pass through hatches to sterilise instruments, packaging or even entire trays of product before entry into high-grade clean zones. They reduce reliance on manual sanitisation and improve compliance with standards like ISO 13485 and PIC/S guidelines in Australia.
Australian laboratories working under NATA accreditation or ISO 17025 certification benefit from investing in these technologies, particularly when traceable results and repeatable processes are required for audit readiness.
Choosing the Right Solution for Your Facility
When selecting a pass through cabinet or pass through hatch, consider:
- Cleanroom class: Is your facility ISO Class 5 or ISO Class 8?
- Transfer volume: Are you moving single-use materials or high volumes of product?
- Item sensitivity: Do your materials require temperature control or aseptic handling?
- Regulatory compliance: Do you need GMP-validated systems or TGA-approved equipment?
- Space constraints: Wall-mounted hatches may be preferable in compact labs, while cabinets offer more capacity.
A consultation with a cleanroom specialist can help determine whether a standard pass-through solution is sufficient, or whether you require a custom configuration with integrated decontamination machine functionality.
Contamination-Free Cleanroom Transfers
Innovations in pass-through technology now include RFID inventory tracking, barcode integration, and data logging to support digital compliance and 21 CFR Part 11 traceability. Automation reduces human error, improves workflow efficiency, and allows technicians to focus on critical tasks rather than routine cleaning or transfers.
In an era where contamination events can shut down entire production lines or compromise research outcomes, preventing cross-contamination is not just good practice—it’s essential.
Keeping It Clean and Compliant
To protect your cleanroom’s integrity and ensure consistent results, implementing pass through hatches, investing in the right pass through cabinet, and integrating a reliable decontamination machine are critical steps. These systems help maintain sterile barriers, reduce human error, and satisfy even the most stringent compliance requirements in Australia and beyond. Ready to upgrade your contamination control protocols? Speak to a cleanroom design, installation and equipment expert to ensure your transfer processes are compliant, efficient, and future-proof.