CONTROLLED COPY
Centre for Biological Engineering
Standard Operating Procedure
SOP025
Title: USE AND MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEC VX 95 AUTOCLAVES
Location:
Autoclave Room, H31, CBE
Version 004
Effective Date: 28
th
June 2020
Review 28
th
June 2022
Written by: A. Chandra
Reviewed by: P.Hourd
Approved by: R.I.Temple
Page 21 of 26
Mastercopy
The Systec 95 Series autoclave is used for decontamination of solid form waste loads containing
hazardous or potentially hazardous biological agents or genetically modified organisms. Validation is
required to demonstrate that the process is effective in achieving a 100% kill i.e. made safe.
The effectiveness of autoclaving should be validated using standard and worst case loads of solid (or
liquid) waste (see Annex 1 for typical solid form loads for which this autoclave has been validated).
Validation MUST be carried out at least annually. Validation records should be kept for 5 years.
Health and Safety Executive Inspectors are likely to request sight of, or copies of, records
during visits to the University. These should be retained in the Equipment File.
5.12. Preventive Maintenance Measures
The maintenance and care tasks described in this section must be carried out at regular intervals. This
guarantees that
•
the good working order and reliability of the appliance is maintained
•
errors and defects are recognised early
•
the service life of the appliance is maximised
The prescribed tasks can be quickly and easily carried out by the user or by technical personnel.
CAUTION: Before every maintenance or care activity, ensure that the sterilization chamber is
pressureless, and disconnect the autoclave from the mains supply.
5.12.1 Cleaning the autoclave
CAUTION: Do not use a corrosive cleaning agent!
Never use steel wool or wire brushes for
cleaning, as they scratch the surface and can do long-term damage to the autoclave. It is
recommended that IMS (70%) as described in SOP004 is used as a cleaning agent.
(i)
Daily maintenance of the autoclave (or first user of the day)
•
Clean the gasket with a soft cloth.
•
Clean the contact surfaces (collar on which the door closes, door) with a soft cloth.
(ii)
Weekly maintenance of the autoclave
