Which of the following types of equipment is specifically designed to protect laboratory personnel?

The biological safety cabinet is specifically engineered to protect laboratory personnel, as well as the environment and the samples being handled. It provides a controlled space that filters out harmful biological agents and aerosols, ensuring that any potentially infectious particles do not escape into the laboratory environment. This containment is crucial when working with pathogens or hazardous biological materials.

In contrast, the clean bench primarily provides a sterile working environment to protect the samples from contamination but does not offer the same level of protection to laboratory personnel from biological agents. The fume hood is designed to ventilate harmful chemical vapors, protecting the user from chemical exposure rather than biological risks. A microscope, while essential for examining specimens, does not provide any protective features for personnel. Therefore, the biological safety cabinet stands out as the equipment specifically designed for personnel protection in a laboratory setting.