To ensure accurate test results, clinical laboratories need to ensure temperature-sensitive reagents and specimens are stored properly. Medical-grade cold storage designed to maintain strict temperature ranges helps safeguard the integrity of these materials and supports regulatory compliance.
The reagents required to run instruments also represent a significant cost to the lab, so it is important to reduce the risk of financial loss due to temperature excursions.
Freezers capable of storage temperatures of -20°C or below are needed for storing certain materials, depending on the manufacturer’s instructions. They are often used for longer-term storage.
Four key considerations when selecting freezers for your lab are:
- Reliable performance
- Sustainability along with energy savings
- Cost of ownership
- Regulatory compliance
RELIABLE PERFORMANCE
Minimizing downtime and disruptions to workflow helps support operational efficiencies in the lab. All products from Helmer Scientific are designed and built to ensure they last for the long term. During the design process for GX Solutions professional medical-grade freezers, thorough Accelerated Life Testing (ALT) was conducted to ensure reliable performance.
ALT identifies and addresses possible issues before equipment is released for general use. It exposes units to very high levels of stress to challenge the system and ensures the unit’s design can withstand the rigors of daily use throughout a 10-year lifespan.
SUSTAINABILITY & ENERGY SAVINGS
In addition to excellent performance characteristics, GX Solutions Lab Freezers support environmental sustainability. They utilize natural refrigerants that have no impact on ozone depletion and extremely low global warming potential (GWP).
GX Solutions also reduce energy consumption. GX Solutions freezers are 35-45 percent more energy efficient than conventional medical-grade freezers and are ENERGY STAR® certified. They also eject less heat, limiting impact on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
COST OF OWNERSHIP
Saving energy helps facilities reduce utility costs and lowers the total cost of ownership. If a lab converts one 25 cubic foot conventional medical-grade freezer to a GX Solutions freezer of the same size, facilities in regions with average energy costs would save more than $300 annually. Areas with higher energy costs could save $473 a year (or more, depending on the region).
Over the 10-year lifespan on the freezer, this means savings of $3,000 to $4,730 could be realized per unit. Of course, if more than one freezer within a facility is converted, the energy savings and additional benefits multiply accordingly.
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
Reagents must be stored within the manufacturer’s specified temperature range to maintain their integrity and ensure compliance. The College of American Pathologists (CAP) All Common Checklist provides guidance on storage. Reagents should be stored and handled as defined by the laboratory and following the manufacturer's instructions. If a reagent manufacturer specifies a required temperature range, the temperature must be monitored daily.
GX Solutions from Helmer Scientific support compliance by maintaining tight temperature uniformity throughout all storage locations within the cabinet, ensuring laboratory materials are stored within the required range.
In addition, GX Solutions are designed to recover quickly after frequent or prolonged door openings, which are common in a busy laboratory environment. The temperature is constantly monitored with high and low temperature alarms that activate if the temperature exceeds or falls below the alarm limits.
OTHER BLOGS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN...
- Reliable Cold Storage Equipment Benefits Short-Staffed Labs
- Short-Staffed Labs Can Benefit from the i.C3® Information Center
- Supporting Sustainability in Clinical Labs
- Protecting Laboratory Media from Temperature Excursions
Visit GX Solutions from Helmer Scientific for more information on the performance and benefits of professional medical-grade cold storage. To learn more about frozen storage designed to support compliance while keeping your reagents safe, review our best practices guide.
