Last month, plant worker Elaine Davidson, 56, died when a pressurized sterilization machine called an autoclave blew up at the Meggett Polymers and Composites plant on October 31st. The force of the blast blew out the door of the autoclave causing devastating injuries to Davidson, who later died at Polk Medical Center.
Herein, can autoclaves explode?
Explosion Hazard: explosions can occur when the seal of the door malfunctions or when autoclave is loaded improperly. Pressure and heat in chamber will escape rapidly potentially causing serious injury.
Also, what are the precautions that must be followed during operating an autoclave?
Tightly close the lid to ensure the completely closed condition of the autoclave for proper sterilization. Do not use regular plastics or trays in the autoclave. Never autoclave flammable, reactive, corrosive, toxic, or radioactive materials, household bleach, or paraffin-embedded tissue.
What are the risks of using an autoclave?
Potential risks of using an autoclave are heat and steam burns, hot fluid scalds, injuries to hands and arms from the door, and bodily injury in the event of an explosion. Exposure to biohazardous material may occur if biohazardous waste is improperly packaged or manipulated.
What factors may result in sterilization failure when using an autoclave?
Here are some of the most common reasons that steam autoclave sterilization cycles fail:
- Choosing the Wrong Cycle for Autoclave Contents. …
- Inappropriate Packing or Loading. …
- Poor Steam Quality. …
- Vacuum Failure. …
- Inadequate Temperatures.
What is the first step to follow when operating an autoclave?
Five steps of autoclave sterilization
- Place the items to be sterilized in the autoclave. The door is locked.
- A vacuum pump sucks the air from the chamber.
- The temperature reaches the correct level.
- Steam kills bacteria and microbes.
- Steam is released, the door is opened and items are ready for use.
What is the most common injury from an autoclave?
What is the sterilization agent used in autoclave?
What should never be autoclaved?
As a general rule of thumb, you CANNOT autoclave materials that are contaminated with solvents, radioactive materials, volatile or corrosive chemicals, or items that contain mutagens, carcinogens, or teratogens.
What type of fluid is added to the autoclave?
Cold water is circulated through the chamber jacket to cool the chamber and load [link anchor to large autoclave article section about jackets]. This combination of introducing cold water and pressurized air helps reduce the temperature of the liquid load quickly and safely.
Why is it important to be careful when using an autoclave?
Despite built-in safeguards, an autoclave presents the possibility of serious injury to personnel from hot surfaces and from the release of steam. It is important, therefore, that laboratory personnel understand the proper operation, limitations, and safeguards for sterilization by autoclaving.