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- [Narrator] A Laboratory Safety Project
by The National Biosafety and Biocontainment
Training Program, The National Institutes of Health,
and Dartmouth College.
Autoclave Safety:
The proper use of an autoclave
to decontaminate biohazardous waste.
Note, the illustrations, safety practices, and suggestions
shown in this animation do not cover all of the potential
health and safety concerns
associated with the use of an autoclave.
Autoclaves can vary in appearance and operation
from the model presented in this animation.
Please take time to learn about your autoclave,
its design, and proper operation.
Always wear appropriate clothing and personal
protective equipment, clothing to cover the legs,
shoes to protect the feet, laboratory coat,
safety glasses, face shield, and heat-resistant gloves
when operating an autoclave.
Wear a liquid-resistant apron when autoclaving liquids.
Please discuss the safe operation of your autoclave
with the safety and maintenance staff in your facility.
Remember to consult the appropriate federal, state,
and local regulations for proper disposal of medical waste.
Autoclave overview.
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Decontamination is achieved through a proper combination
of time, temperature, and pressure.
Power on/off switch.
Chamber temperature gauge.
Jacket pressure gauge.
The jacket pressure remains static.
Chamber pressure gauge.
Chart recorder.
Gasket.
Door.
Inspect the gasket before each use.
Replace worn or damaged gaskets.
Jacket.
Chamber.
Steam inlet.
Baffle.
Drain.
Steam exits through the drain.
Inspect drain and carefully remove any debris.
Energy flow in an autoclave.
Door is closed and sealed.
Steam enters the chamber and pushes air
already in the chamber out through the drain.
As steam enters the autoclave, the chamber temperature
and pressure rise.
The jacket pressure remains constant.
For the autoclave cycle to be successful,
the specified temperature must be maintained
for the appropriate amount of time.
Cycle successful.
Specified temperature not maintained for an appropriate
amount of time.
Cycle not successful.
Items not decontaminated.
Personal Protective Equipment.
Always wear proper clothing and personal protective
equipment when using the autoclave.
Proper clothing and personal protective equipment include:
closed-toe shoes to protect feet,
clothing to cover legs,
safety glasses,
gloves to protect skin from contamination,
laboratory coat, face shield, heat-resistant gloves,
add a liquid-resistant apron when autoclaving liquids.
Proper use of an autoclave
to decontaminate biohazardous waste.
Note: Each load of biohazardous waste is different.
Some of the factors that can influence the selection
of autoclave parameters for a load of biohazardous waste
include the types of materials, amount of liquid
and how densely the waste materials are packed.
At a minimum, biohazardous waste should be decontaminated
by adding approximately 100 milliliters of water
to the bag containing waste
and autoclaving at 121 degrees celsius for one hour.
Remember, always check with your institution's
safety professionals to determine the appropriate time,
temperature and amount of water needed
to decontaminate your biohazardous waste.
The bag should be loosely packed,
and not more than two thirds full.
The bag should contain 100 milliliters of water.
Close bag loosely.
Place the items to be autoclaved
inside a metal secondary container.
Place the pan in the center of the autoclave.
Do not overload the chamber.
Close and seal the door.
The bag is loosely closed to relieve pressure
build-up inside the bag.
An overloaded autoclave obstructs the flow of steam.
Even if the autoclave is working properly,
reaching 121 degrees celsius and 15 psi,
the center of the load may not reach
the temperature required for decontamination
if the cycle time is too short.
Before opening the autoclave at the end of the cycle,
make sure that the chamber pressure has returned to zero,
and make sure that the chart recorder demonstrates
a successful cycle.
Stand back when the door opens and allow time
for steam to escape.
Escaping steam can cause burns.
Examples of autoclave associated injuries:
You may not be able to see steam escaping from autoclave.
Use caution to avoid burns.
Sudden changes in pressure, such as opening autoclave,
may cause superheated liquids to change from a liquid
to a gas violently and boil over.
Use caution when removing these items.
Touching the sides of the hot autoclave may cause a burn.
Condensation on the load may splash user and cause a burn.
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