Shellab SCO10W-2 - Manual (Page 7)

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Regardless of the decontamination procedure used, certain precautions will need to be taken:
A. Always disconnect the unit from the electrical service when cleaning. 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.
C. If you use chlorine-based bleaches or abrasive cleaners this 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.
D. In the event hazardous material is spilled onto or into the equipment, appropriate
decontamination must be carried out. If there is any doubt about the compatibility of
decontamination or cleaning agents with parts of the equipment or with material contained,
please contact the manufacturer or his agent. No decontamination or cleaning agents
should be used which could cause a hazard as a result of a reaction with parts of the
equipment or with the material contained in it.
TYPICAL DECONTAMINATION PROCEDURE
1. Remove the humidity pan every week and autoclave, or wash with soap and water then
disinfect with 70% alcohol solution. Replace in the incubator with fresh, DISTILLED water.
2. Flush the sample port tubing with 70% alcohol solution. Replace any lines that have a
green color.
3. Remove the door gaskets, clean and disinfect. Clean and disinfect all mounting grooves for
the door gaskets.
4. Remove all shelves, shelf supports, shelf standards and shields. 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, air bleeds, shaft holes,
electrical pass-through and any other passages into the chamber.
7. Replace all air 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 in line with
the CO
2
tubing kit. Units with flow meters require operator- supplied air pumps. These
pumps should be checked for proper air filtering.
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.