Refrigeration

High value child goods must be carefully protected, and temperature sensitive goods maintained at their recommended temperature. Refrigerators used traditionally for vaccine storage have become the store space for a number of additional items.

Issues include:-

• Capacity of the refrigerator used. Does it provide sufficient physical space to store and keep its entire contents at the ideal temperature? Over loading can impact cooling capacity. A larger unit of greater capacity will operate more efficiently than a small overburdened unit.
• Is refrigerated stock being rotated to ensure ageing stock is selected first?
• Are refrigeration temperatures monitored and logged regularly to indentify any failures or temperature variations beyond tolerance?
• Is the temperature displayed?
• Is the equipment regularly maintained, cleaned and serviced?
• Is protection in the form of surge arrest provided to these items to protect from damage?
• The refrigeration unit used should be of high quality, and high reliability and dedicated to the storage of pharmaceutical and medical substances only.
• Is there a back up in the event of power outage?