A number of industries today make use of metal instruments that interact with human skin or flesh, and these items can be quick ways to spread contagion or disease if they are not sterilized properly. In times past, disease was easily spread with dirty needles or surgical equipment, but modern standards of safety demand that sanitation is taken very seriously. Hospitals, urgent care clinics, and even tattoo and piercing parlors have metal tools that interact with human flesh, meaning that they need the finest sterilization techniques. Boiling water or alcohol is one thing, but today, an autoclave may do the job best, with models such as the Tuttnauer 2540m or others available. A tattoo autoclave, veterinary autoclave, or hospital autoclave can get the job done and remove all bacteria and viruses from a metal instrument. Autoclave repair may also be needed from time to time, and a company can look up “autoclave repair near me” to find a worker who can get this job done, such as “Tuttnauer 2540m repair nearby.”
The Work of Autoclaves
For those unaware, an autoclave, such as a Tuttnauer 2540m or other model, is a device that can use pressurized, hot steam to sterilize items inside. An autoclave such as a Tuttnauer 2540m or others will be shaped a bit like a microwave oven or toaster oven, but it is hardly meant for food. Instead, an autoclave will have a front door that allows surgical or medical tools to be placed inside, and the door is closed. Once the settings are adjusted, the autoclave may be activated. The items inside will be sterilized completely when hot steam scours them, and no bacteria or viruses should survive the process. When this procedure is over, the items inside are completely sterile and ready for use.
How much heat is used with autoclaves today? The steam is typically around 270 degrees Fahrenheit, although in some applications, a lower temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit may be acceptable. This steam is strong, pressurized at 30 psi to eliminate any and all contaminants found on surgical equipment or tattoo needles. After all, cleaning is only the first step after surgical equipment or tattoo or piercing needles have been used. After that, sterilization must be done before the surgical equipment is safe to use again. It is well known that blood-borne pathogens can survive on an item’s surface for one week, and they can easily spread if the item is not sterilized properly.
Where might these autoclaves be found? Most often, it is hospitals and urgent care clinics that use them, since an OR will use scalpels, needles, and more during work. Clinics may have a number of needles on site, and blood-borne pathogens could be easily spread among multiple patients unless an autoclave is used between injections. People receiving shots for the flu, for example, may contract something unwanted unless these needles are properly steam-sterilized first. A veterinarian’s office may use autoclaves for the same reason, as blood-borne pathogens may be spread among cats, dogs, and other common pets unless surgical tools and needles are cleaned and sterilized. And finally, tattoo and piercing parlors use autoclaves on their needles in between uses.
Fix the Autoclave
It is clear, then, that an autoclave’s job is a very important one. This means that a damaged autoclave should be repaired at once, because a hospital can’t afford to function without an working autoclave. Most often, autoclaves may fail due to misuse (or human error), or they may simply wear out and break down with age. A tattoo parlor or urgent care clinic’s staff may look online to find local autoclave repair crews, or they may even go on the market for a new one. A badly damaged or worn out autoclave may do an imperfect job of sterilizing items inside, and this can be dangerous if pathogens survive the steam. So, a tattoo parlor or clinic or hospital is urged to go on the market and find a new one. An autoclave should be the right size for the intended number of items to place inside, and the steam must be ho and pressurized enough for the client’s needs in everyday operations. This can make all the difference.
