Vacuum pumps are used to remove air and other vapors from a vessel or manifold. The most common usages in laboratories are on rotary evaporators, drying manifolds, centrifugal concentrators, acrylamide gel dryers, freeze dryers, vacuum ovens, tissue culture filter flasks and aspirators, desiccators, filtration apparatus, and filter/degassing apparatus. Weak points in containers or systems under vacuum can create implosion or explosion hazards, and cause injury by violently spraying glass and hazardous materials. Choosing the appropriate vacuum pump for your work and putting the necessary hazard controls in place is important to maintain health and safety.