EQUIPMENT QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES
| Equipment | Procedure | Schedule | Tolerance Limit |
| Refrigerators | Recording of temperature.* | Daily or continuous. | 2-8 degrees C. |
| Freezers | Recording of temperature.* | Daily or continuous. | -8 to -20 degrees C. -60 to -75 degrees C. |
| Incubators | Recording of temperature.* | Daily or continuous. | 35.5 +/- 1 degree C. |
| Incubators (CO 2 ) |
Measuring of CO
2
content.
Use blood gas analyzer or Fryrite device. |
Daily or twice daily. | 5% to 10% |
| Waterbaths | Recording of temperature.* | Daily | 36 to 38 degrees C. 55 to 57 degrees C. |
| Heating Blocks | Recording of temperature.* | Daily | +/-1 degree of setting. |
| Autoclaves | Test with spore strip ( Bacillusstearothermophilus ) | At least weekly. | No growth of spores in subculture indicates a sterile run. |
| pH Meter | Test with pH calibrating solutions. | With each use. | +/- 0.1 pH units standard being used. |
| Anaerobic Jars | Methylene blue (or resazurin) indicator strip. | With each use. | Conversion of strip from blue (pink) to white indicates low oxygen tension. |
| Anaerobic Glove Box Tension | Clostridium novyi type B culture. | Run periodically. | Growth indicates very low oxygen tension. It is used only where very low oxygen is required. |
|
|
Methylene blue (or resazurin) indicator strip. | Continuously or daily. | Solution remains colorless if oxygen tension is low. |
| Serology Rotator | Count revolutions per minute. | With each use. | 180 revolutions per minute +/- 10 revolutions per minute. |
|
Centrifuges
(within 5% of dial) |
Check revolutions with tachometer. | Monthly | Indicator setting. |
| Safety Hoods | Measure air velocity across face opening. | Semiannually or quarterly. | 50 feet of air flow per minute +/- 5 feet per minute. |
* Each monitoring thermometer must be calibrated against a standard thermometer that is certified and NBS traceable.
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