Institution

Laboratory name
Location
Head/Responsible person
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Use and maintenance of an incubator
Code:
ersion: no!
"ate: of release
Page: 1 of 7
Content
1. Scope
2. Definitions and abbreviations
3. Personnel qualifications
#!$ %edical fitness
#!& 'ducation and training
4. Procedure
(!$ Principle
(!& Samples
(!# ')uipment and materials
(!( Reagents and solutions
(!* "etailed instructions for use and disinfection
(!+ Reading and recording
(!, -ualit. control and maintenance
(!/ 0aste management
. !elated documents
"nne# 1. $ncubator lo%boo&
"nne# 2. $ncubator maintenance lo%boo&
Compiled b. '1amined b. 2ppro3ed b. Replaced 4e5 3ersion
4ame Code: Code:
"ate
Signature
Laborator. area: 4o of copies: Reason for c6ange:
Institution
Laboratory name
Location
Head/Responsible person
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Use and maintenance of an incubator
Code:
ersion: no!
"ate: of release
Page: 2 of 7
1. Scope
76is SOP describes t6e use and maintenance of an incubator t6roug6 proper installation8
regular monitoring and maintenance!
2. Definitions and abbreviations
9C: degrees Celsius
UPS: uninterrupted po5er suppl.!
3. Personnel qualifications
3.1 Medical fitness
In accordance 5it6 national la5s and practices8 arrangements s6ould be made for
appropriate 6ealt6 sur3eillance of 7: laborator. 5or;ers:
before enrolment in t6e 7: laborator.<
at regular inter3als t6ereafter8 annuall. or bi=annuall.<
after an. bio6a>ard incident<
at t6e onset of 7: s.mptoms!
Ideall.8 indi3idual medical records s6all be ;ept for up to $? .ears follo5ing t6e end of
occupational e1posure!
Laborator. 5or;ers s6ould be educated about t6e s.mptoms of 7: and pro3ided 5it6 read.
access to free medical care if s.mptoms arise!
Confidential HI counselling and testing s6ould be offered to laborator. 5or;ers! Options for
reassignment of HI=positi3e or immuno=suppressed indi3iduals a5a. from t6e 6ig6=ris; areas
of t6e 7: laborator. s6ould be considered!
2ll cases of disease or deat6 identified in accordance 5it6 national la5s and/or practice as
resulting from occupational e1posure to biological agents s6all be notified to t6e competent
aut6orit.!
3.2 Education and training
'ducation and training must be gi3en on t6e follo5ing topics:
potential ris;s to 6ealt6 (s.mptoms of 7: disease and transmission)<
precautions to be ta;en to minimi>e aerosol formation and pre3ent e1posure<
6.giene re)uirements<
5earing and use of protecti3e e)uipment and clot6ing<
6andling of potentiall. infectious materials<
pre3ention of incidents and steps to be ta;en b. 5or;ers in t6e case of incidents
(bio6a>ard incidents8 c6emical8 electrical and fire 6a>ards)<
Institution
Laboratory name
Location
Head/Responsible person
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Use and maintenance of an incubator
Code:
ersion: no!
"ate: of release
Page: 3 of 7
good laborator. practice<
organi>ation of 5or; flo5<
5aste 6andling<
use of e)uipment (operation8 identification of malfunctions8 maintenance)!
76e training s6all be:
gi3en before a staff member ta;es up 6is/6er post<
strictl. super3ised<
adapted to ta;e account of ne5 or c6anged conditions< and
repeated periodicall.8 preferabl. e3er. .ear!
4. Procedure
4.1 Principle
76e incubator is intended to ensure optimum gro5t6 conditions for t6e culture of Mycobacterium
tuberculosis! Incubators are a3ailable in 3arious si>es8 from small (benc6top) models to large
incubator rooms e)uipped 5it6 fans to ac6ie3e a 6omogeneous temperature!
Since M. tuberculosis gro5t6 is in6ibited abo3e #, 9C8 t6e incubator temperature s6ould be
set at #+ @ $ 9C!
4.2 Samples
%.cobacterial specimens and cultures!
4.3 Equipment and materials
76e incubator s6ould be installed and operated according to t6e instructions in t6e
manufacturerAs manual (specific to eac6 incubator)! It s6ould be located on a le3el surface in a
dr.8 5ell=3entilated area8 a5a. from 6eat sources!
4.4 Reagents and solutions
,?B et6anol!
4.5 Detailed instructions for use and disinfection
4.5.1 General
Ceep door(s) closed to pre3ent 6eat loss to t6e en3ironment!
'nsure t6at rac; positions are clearl. mar;ed!
S5itc6 off t6e incubator 56en it is not in use!
"o not o3erload!
4.5.2 Procedure for disinfection
Institution
Laboratory name
Location
Head/Responsible person
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Use and maintenance of an incubator
Code:
ersion: no!
"ate: of release
Page: 4 of 7
'3er. + mont6s or in case of spillage of infectious material 5it6in t6e incubator:
"isconnect t6e incubator from t6e electrical suppl.!
Identif. an ade)uate 3olume of a3ailable safe space for temporar. storage of
bio6a>ardous material! 'nsure t6at materials ;ept in t6e incubator are clearl. mar;ed!
Clean metallic surfaces (rac;s8 floor8 5alls and doors) 5it6 ,?B et6anol!
Clean an. materials located in t6e incubator t6at ma. 6a3e been contaminated b.
spillage!
Reconnect t6e incubator to t6e electricit. suppl. and s5itc6 it on!
Replace incubator contents once t6e temperature 6as reac6ed #+ 9C!
4otif. staff of t6e replacement of t6e contents!
4.6 Reading and reporting
Use a record from to ;eep a dail. record of t6e incubator temperature (2nne1 $)!
Record regular maintenance of t6e incubator on t6e maintenance logboo; (2nne1 &)!
4. !ualit" control and maintenance
Perform mont6l. temperature spot c6ec;s b. placing(ma1imum/minimum t6ermometers at
3arious positions in t6e incubator to 3erif. t6at t6e internal incubator temperature is constant at
#+ $9C!
Repairs s6ould be performed b. a )ualified ser3ice tec6nician!
Calibration
76e temperature s6ould be calibrated:
before use<
after temperature c6anges 6a3e been detected and corrected<
follo5ing a po5er failure<
after cleaning of spillages!
Calibration process
'nsure t6at t6e door is closed and t6at t6e incubator is s5itc6ed on!
Set t6e re)uired temperature using t6e temperature control and lea3e t6e incubator to run for
$ 6our!
Place a t6ermometer in t6e centre of t6e incubator 5it6 t6e probe a5a. from t6e 6eating
element!
7a;e t6e temperature reading after #? minutes< if t6e temperature is not #+ @ $ 9C8 adDust t6e
control!
Repeat t6e process e3er. #? minutes until t6e re)uired temperature is reac6ed!
Continue to ta;e readings until t5o consecuti3e readings (#? minutes apart) are #+ @ $ 9C!
Institution
Laboratory name
Location
Head/Responsible person
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Use and maintenance of an incubator
Code:
ersion: no!
"ate: of release
Page: of 7
Record readings in t6e incubator logboo;! 76e incubator is read. for use onl. at t6e calibrated
temperature!
4.# $aste management
2ll inoculated tubes and 3ials8 56et6er negati3e or contaminated8 s6ould be autocla3ed as
potentiall. infectious material!
. !elated documents
%anufacturerAs manual8 specific to eac6 incubator!
Basics of quality assurance for intermediate and peripheral laboratories8 &nd ed! Cairo8 0HO
Regional Office for t6e 'astern %editerranean8 &??&!
Laboratory serices in tuberculosis control. Part !!!: Culture! Eene3a8 0orld Healt6
Organi>ation8 $FF/ (0HO/7:/F/!&*/).
Maintenance and repair of laboratory" dia#nostic ima#in# and hospital equipment! Eene3a8
0orld Healt6 Organi>ation8 $FF(!
Maintenance manual for laboratory equipment8 &
nd
ed! Eene3a8 0orld Healt6 Organi>ation8
&??/ (a3ailable at
555!56o!int/entit./diagnosticsGlaborator./documents/guidance/guidance&/en/)
Institution
Laboratory name
Location
Head/Responsible person
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Use and maintenance of an incubator
Code:
ersion: no!
"ate: of release
Page: ' of 7
"nne# 1. $ncubator lo%boo&
(emperature required) #+ @ $ 9C (acceptable 3ariation)
(rimester) *ear)
+ont, (emp.
-C
.perator
(initials)
+ont, (emp.
-C
.perator
(initials)
+ont, (emp.
-C
.perato
r
(initials)
1 1 1
2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4

' ' '
7 7 7
/ / /
0 0 0
11 11 11
11 11 11
12 12 12
13 13 13
14 14 14
1 1 1
1' 1' 1'
17 17 17
1/ 1/ 1/
10 10 10
21 21 21
21 21 21
22 22 22
23 23 23
24 24 24
2 2 2
2' 2' 2'
27 27 27
2/ 2/ 2/
20 20 20
31 31 31
31 31 31
Institution
Laboratory name
Location
Head/Responsible person
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Use and maintenance of an incubator
Code:
ersion: no!
"ate: of release
Page: 7 of 7
"nne# 2. $ncubator maintenance lo%boo&
$(2+ $D23($4$C"($.3
')uipment: I4CU:27OR :rand name:
Purc6ase date: %odel/t.pe:
Location 5it6in laborator.: Serial no!
0arrant. e1pir. date:
%anufacturer: 7el:
2ddress:!
Contact person:
7ec6nical ser3ice representati3e: 7el:
4"$L5!2 2623(S
"ate '3ent Correcti3e
action ta;en
Operator
"isinfection date
"isinfection reason (regular8 spillage)
OperatorHs name
Calibration date
Calibration reason (temperature correction8
po5er failure8 disinfection)
OperatorHs name
"isinfection date
"isinfection reason (regular8 spillage)
OperatorHs name
Calibration date
Calibration reason (temperature correction8
po5er failure8 disinfection)
OperatorHs name
"isinfection date
"isinfection reason (regular8 spillage)
OperatorHs name
Calibration date
Calibration reason (temperature correction8
po5er failure8 disinfection)
OperatorHs name