What is required
| Document | What matters for temperature |
|---|---|
| GOST ISO/IEC 17025-2019 “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”, clause 6.3 | the laboratory monitors, controls and records environmental conditions where they influence the validity of results or where methods require it |
| Manufacturers' instructions for reagents, kits and consumables | storage and transport range; an excursion is a reason to assess suitability |
| Test methods | conditions for testing and sample storage |
| For blood service and IVF laboratories | Decree No. 641 and Order No. 803n — see the blood service and IVF page |
What we monitor
| Reagent and sample refrigerators, +2…+8 °C | a sensor at the warm spot found by mapping; if there is a freezing risk at the evaporator, a second one at the cold spot |
| −20 °C freezers and −80 °C ultra-low freezers | remote probes through the door seal, door and power monitoring |
| Incubators | temperature and, where needed, CO₂ |
| Rooms | temperature and humidity where they affect testing or storage |
| Dewar vessels | nitrogen level and vapour-phase temperature — for cryostorage |
Why an alarm matters more than a log. A −80 °C freezer warms up quickly after a failure, and the samples inside are often irreplaceable. A log shows the failure in the morning, an alarm within minutes. That is why we set up escalation: if the first person does not acknowledge the alarm, the message goes to the next one.
How we work
- Survey
List of equipment and rooms, ranges, what is critical for methods and samples, who is responsible at night and at weekends.
- Mapping of refrigerators and chambers
We find the warm and cold spots and test door opening and power failure. The method is the same as for cold rooms and freezers.
- Monitoring system
Sensors at the points found, remote probes for freezers, door and power monitoring, alarms and an electronic log with an archive.
- Verification and documents
Sensors are approved-type measuring instruments with verification; certificates can be found by serial number on the Verification certificate page.
- Support
Scheduled verification, a replacement pool, re-mapping after equipment replacement.
Frequently asked questions
Must a laboratory keep a temperature log?
If environmental conditions affect results or methods require it, GOST ISO/IEC 17025-2019 requires them to be monitored and recorded. For reagent refrigerators, records confirm that the reagent was stored per the manufacturer's instructions.
How do you monitor a −80 °C freezer?
With a remote probe fed through the door seal — the logger electronics stay outside. Plus door and power monitoring and an alarm with escalation.
Does a laboratory refrigerator need mapping?
There is usually no direct obligation, but mapping shows where the refrigerator is warmer and where there is a freezing risk — and where to put the monitoring sensor. For a small refrigerator that is usually 9 points: corners and centre.