Free guide to steriliser monitoring

A practical guide to testing and monitoring small steam sterilisers is a new publication from STS Health.

The 20-page booklet is available free of charge and covers everything from the basics of steam sterilisation; through testing and monitoring; to putting it all together. A list of resources and a bibliography are also included. "Infection control is one of the most vital aspects of dental practice yet many practices sometimes struggle with determining the practical implementation of certain aspects of the standards," said Deborah Thame, the author of the guide and managing director of STS Health. "In writing the guide, we have endeavoured to work through the various aspects of AS/NZS 4815:2006 that relate to testing and monitoring small steam sterilisers and provide rationale for each together with how to implement the required protocols in your practice." The illustrated booklet runs through calibration testing; heat distribution testing; penetration time testing; time at temperature testing; leak/vacuum testing; air removal/steam penetration testing; monitoring of physical parameters; chemical indicators; biological indicators/enzyme indicators; process challenge devices; and data loggers and thermocouples. STS Health distribute the Mocom range of autoclaves.