Shellab SCO10A-2 - Manual (Page 5)

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Assure all volatile or flammable cleaners are evaporated and dry before reconnecting the unit
to the power supply.
B. Special care should be taken when cleaning around sensing heads to Prevent damage. (See
figure 1)
Figure 1
C. Do not use chlorine-based bleaches or abrasive cleaners. These will modify the
stainless steel interior finish. DO NOT USE hard tools such as metal wire brushes or
steel wool. Use non-abrasive cleaners and soft tools such as plastic brushes. (See
7.1
–A)
D. Use only DISTILLED water in the humidity pan. DO NOT USE de-ionized water due to its
reactivity with metal components.
TYPICAL DECONTAMINATION PROCEDURE
1. Remove the humidity pan every week and autoclave, or wash with soap and water then
disinfect with 70% alcohol solution diluted with distilled water. Replace in the incubator with
fresh, DISTILLED water.
2. Flush the sample port tubing with 70% alcohol solution. Replace any discolored lines.
3. Clean and disinfect the liner gaskets. Clean and disinfect all mounting grooves for the door
gaskets.
4. Remove all shelves, shelf supports, shelf standards and slides. Autoclave, or wash and
disinfect as described in item 1.
5. Wash and disinfect all interior surfaces.
6. Give special attention to cleaning and disinfecting all access ports, shaft holes, electrical
pass-through, and any other passages into the chamber.
7. Replace all HEPA (Patent No. 6,333,004) and CO
2
filters every six months or when
noticeably dirty on the upstream side. CO
2
filters are located in the shadow box just behind
the GAS IN fitting and on CO
2
sample line. Hepa filter is located on the top air duct inside the
chamber.
OPERATION FOR MINIMIZING CONTAMINATION
1. Keep the outside of the incubator, including the air in the laboratory, as clean as possible.
This is particularly important for units placed directly on the floor. Do not place incubators
near doors, air vents or other areas of high air movement or traffic.
2. The floor around the unit needs to be clean. Units that are placed on the floor should be
mounted higher – typically on a caster platform – for ease of moving the unit during cleaning
and access to the back of the unit.
3. Minimize the number of times access is made to the chamber during normal operation.
4. Do not depend on the use of antibiotics to maintain uncontaminated conditions, as this is an
inadequate technique for sterilization. Preferably use aseptic techniques as described above
for maintaining sterile conditions in the incubator.