Why Clean Your Sterilizer?
Since sterilizer chambers are subject to a build-up of surface contamination from detergents, wrapper chemicals, boiler chemicals, oxidation, stickers and autoclave tape, they can become less efficient and result in the need to re-sterilizer materials.
With increasing regulatory attention by such agencies as the CDC, JCAHO, FDA, DPH,, and AAMI, to reduce HAI, more attention is being paid to the sterilizers effectiveness, making the requirement for an advanced and effective chamber cleaning process a necessity. Furthermore, rising hospital costs are being offset by tighter budgets, so another benefit to proper professional chamber cleaning, is that it can virtually eliminate wet packs thereby reducing both labor and utility costs to re-sterilize the materials.
Why Use The SRS Proprietary Chamber Polishing Process?
Unlike SRS, other chamber cleaning companies use a glass-beaded cleaning process which either results in a rough and porous surface that allows the steam vapor and impurities to build up on the chamber surface and oxidation to form. The long-term problems with this method are:
- The oxidation will act as an insulator, absorbing heat. This absorption causes uneven chamber heating, slows the heating process, and increases utility costs.
- Uneven heating can cause "wet packs". These wet spots can allow bacteria to migrate through the wrapper and contaminate the contents of the pack, resulting in the need to re-sterilize the material until this problem is corrected.
- The oxidation can become layered. During the sterilization cycles, these layers can loosen and can contaminate or leave wet packs, resulting in the need to re-sterilize the pack
Another process used by some companies is a chemical cleaning which results in their fumes being potentially hazardous, and disposing of the material very difficult.
Both cleaning processes above are short-term solutions, and usually, the chamber surface is re-oxidized and needs re-cleaning within 3-6 months.
The SRS chamber cleaning method, learned over more than 25-years, is our proprietary clean and polishes process. Using custom-designed tools, a custom designed portable “clean room tent” to insure that the work area is kept clean from debris, SRS factory trained technicians hand polish the sterilizer chamber, door(s), and end ring to a smooth surface, leaving a chamber that is considerably easier to maintain.
Life Science Sterilizers:
SRS cleans most sterilizers used for the Life Science Industry.
Preventive Maintenance Agreements (PMA):
To better insure that a facility is prepared to meet the various agency requirements for infection control, SRS offers a "peace of mind PMA" contract that can be tailored to the facilities needs.