Leica Biosystems CM1520 - Manual (Page 12)

12 Instructions for Use V1.3 – 10/2012
2.5 Operating the instrument
2. Safety
2.6 Cleaning and disinfection
• Take care when handling microtome knives and disposable blades. The cutting edge is
extremely sharp and can cause serious injuries!
• Never leave knives and knife holders with an exposed knife/blade mounted lying around!
• Never place a knife on a table with the cutting edge facing upward!
• Never try to catch a falling knife!
• Always clamp the specimen first, then the knife.
• Before handling the specimen or the knife, changing the specimen or taking a break, lock
the handwheel and ensure that the knife is covered by the knife guard.
• Extended skin contact with the cold parts of the instrument may cause frostbite.
• To ensure reliable drainage of condensate and to prevent a potential contamination risk, the
drain tube (on the side of the instrument, Fig. 52) must be inserted in a suitable catch tank.
At cryochamber temperatures of 0 °C to -30 °C. Spray a MAXIMUM of 10 sprays into the middle
of the cryostat chamber and close the window. After each disinfection, the chamber must be
wiped carefully with a cloth and briefly ventilated!
We strongly recommend defrosting the CM1520 cryostat completely for 24 hours, 1-2x annually
or as needed.
• It is not necessary to remove the microtome for routine disinfection. Spray disinfection with
Leica Cryofect is possible, thanks to the special insulation of the microtome.
We strongly recommend using the safety gloves included with the standard delivery!
Remove section waste after EVERY change of specimen. Do not start disinfection until
you have done this! Each new specimen is a potential source of contamination.
The use of flammable sprays within the cryostat chamber is permitted only with the
Leica Cryofect tested by us.