When a hematology analyzer displays an error at 9:00 am on a Monday morning and you have samples waiting to be processed from three separate collection locations, when the technician finally arrives to fix the problem, your reports will be late, your patients will call you, and your laboratory staff will be dealing with a backlog. Most of these types of mornings can be traced back to a failure to perform preventative maintenance, rather than bad luck.
Laboratory equipment maintenance is a process of periodic clean-ups, inspections, calibration checks, and other service-related tasks which help maintain your laboratory analysis systems (analyzers) separation systems (centrifuges) visualization systems (microscopes) and storage systems at their designed operating levels. This is important for several reasons first, it can significantly decrease the amount of unplanned down-time experienced in your lab. Second, maintaining your laboratory equipment can also provide you with a means to consistently produce reliable data. Finally, when performing regular maintenance on your equipment you will be able to document the types of activities performed. While performing routine maintenance alone will not ensure that you obtain accurate results or receive accreditation, the lack of routine maintenance will make it difficult for you to establish a strong foundation for your overall quality program.
Why Laboratory Equipment Maintenance Matters in Diagnostic Laboratories
Well maintained equipment works in a predictable manner, therefore, outcomes are more consistent, and work flow is kept on track. Scheduled maintenance will provide an extension of life of the equipment, replacing emergency repair services with regularly scheduled maintenance. This is also used to feed laboratory quality management, as assessors and internal auditors will be looking for proof that the equipment is being controlled.
Terms can be easily confused. Cleaning will remove contaminants from the instrument. Maintenance is what keeps your instrument functioning. Calibration is adjusting your instrument to a known standard (reference). Performance verification (running quality control) is making sure your data is acceptable. Servicing is when you have someone from the manufacturer or other qualified person, perform work on your instrument.
10 Essential Laboratory Equipment Maintenance Practices Every Diagnostic Lab Should Follow
- 1.Establish a Preventive Maintenance Schedule
- All instruments must be listed with their associated task(s) and the person responsible for each instrument. Frequency of use should be based upon manufacturer's recommendations, risk levels (as determined by your SOPs) and a due date for the instrument must be added to a shared calendar. An error to avoid when doing this is to rely solely on the memory of one senior technician.
- 2.Follow Manufacturer Maintenance Guidelines
- Keep the operating manual for every model available to you and use it as a reference when performing your regular (daily, weekly and/or periodically) maintenance routines as well as when you are preparing to perform any type of procedure with the equipment. You should always refer to the manufacturer's instructions for the types of reagents/cleaning solutions that can be used on the equipment. Avoid mistakes made through the use of "shortcuts" provided to you verbally.
- 3.Perform Regular Cleaning and Visual Inspections
- At the beginning of your shift you should inspect fluid levels tubing, probes and waste container(s) for any leaks wear and tear or unusual noises. Follow the cleaning procedures listed in the manual. Do not forget to document that you cleaned these items.
- 4.Monitor Calibration and Performance Verification
- The manufacturer and your SOP will determine how frequently you should calibrate. For example. you may need to calibrate after a major maintenance event or if a new lot of reagents is used (if required). After each calibration you must use quality control to assess whether the instrument is functioning properly. A common error to avoid is assuming that a single successful QC run indicates that the instrument has been completely serviced.
- 5.Maintain Accurate Equipment Service Records
- Each instrument should have its record (date, work completed, worker, results, parts replaced and an engineering report) logged. This provides assessors with information on previous issues and is a record of previous repairs. A common error when logging is to fill out the log after the fact using your memory.
- 6.Train Laboratory Staff in Proper Equipment Handling
- Train employees how to begin, close, clean, respond to alarms, and recognize the point of no return for calling for assistance and document their skill levels. An error to avoid is having new employees gain knowledge simply through observation.
- 7.Monitor Temperature and Environmental Conditions
- Track the temperature of your refrigerator, freezer, incubator, and room environment against the required range for your reagents/instruments, and document each time you have an excursion with what was done to correct the problem. For most Indian laboratories a stable electrical source and emergency backup are part of this process. An error to avoid: Only monitoring these items when someone thinks about it.
- 8.Identify Equipment Problems Before They Become Major Failures
- Watch for warning signs (alarms) increased numbers of failed QC results, slower run times, repeated test attempts and unusual sounds. Record each of these occurrences and report them to management as soon as possible. A common mistake is to clear an alarm, and then continue working.
- 9.Maintain Essential Spare Parts and Accessories
- Keep in stock the consumables as recommended by the manufacturer (e.g., filters and/or tubes) and find out how long it takes your engineer to get a replacement. Keep these items stored correctly and keep an eye on when they expire. What to avoid, Finding out how much time it will take for your engineer to obtain a replacement part when you have an equipment breakdown.
- 10.Schedule Professional Servicing and Periodic Inspections
- Schedule routine maintenance through either the equipment's manufacturer or a certified technician via a contract that outlines visit frequency and service response. Refrain from performing any repair work on the instrument that is not authorized in the operator's manual. Once the maintenance has been completed, test the instrument using quality control procedures and submit the technician's report for record-keeping. A common error to avoid when managing maintenance schedules is delaying maintenance visits to reduce costs.
Maintenance Requirements for Common Laboratory Equipment
This table gives general considerations only. It is not repair advice, so follow manufacturer guidance and use qualified service personnel.
| Equipment | General considerations |
|---|---|
| Haematology analyzers | Startup and cleaning per manual, reagent and waste checks, QC each run day, scheduled servicing |
| Biochemistry analyzers | Reagent and wash solution checks, probes and optics as applicable, calibration and QC per assay |
| Centrifuges | Check rotors and buckets for wear, balance loads, clean spills, verify speed and timer as your SOP defines |
| Microscopes | Clean optics with approved materials, check illumination, cover after use, periodic servicing |
| Refrigerators and freezers | Continuous temperature monitoring, door seals, defrosting per manual, alarm response plan |
| Incubators and autoclaves | Temperature or cycle checks, chamber cleaning, documented checks as your SOP requires |
How Often Should Laboratory Equipment Be Serviced?
There isn't any one specific way to determine frequency. Your frequency will depend upon several factors such as: what the manufacturer recommends for maintenance, what kind of equipment you use, how much use the equipment gets (workload) how you assess risk associated with the equipment and your standard operating procedures (SOPs). Most laboratories combine routine operator care of their equipment with scheduled professional service provided through a contract. Do not assume that a specific frequency is required unless there is a regulatory or accreditation requirement that applies to you which requires that you perform routine maintenance at a set interval.
How Can Laboratories Reduce Equipment Downtime?
Begin by creating a plan for preventive maintenance, use early warning signs to take action, stock adequate supplies of critical parts, and document a disaster recovery strategy prior to any failure. Your backup plan should include having access to a secondary analyzer, a laboratory that can assist you in case of an emergency, or a validated manual alternative. Train employees to escalate rapidly.
Preventive vs Corrective Maintenance
| Preventive maintenance | Corrective maintenance | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Planned in advance | After a fault or failure |
| Disruption | Scheduled around workload | Often sudden, mid-shift |
| Examples | Scheduled cleaning, calibration, servicing | Repair after a breakdown |
| Role | Reduces avoidable failures | Restores function |
Both of these elements are required. Review each corrective action that has taken place, and use the knowledge gained from reviewing each of those actions to update your preventive strategy. For example: A multi-branch laboratory that operates on a single central analyzer is willing to establish an agreement with another laboratory to allow for the immediate reporting of urgent tests should the primary analyzer experience a failure.
Daily, Weekly and Monthly Laboratory Maintenance Checklist
| Frequency | Examples of tasks |
|---|---|
| Daily | Visual check, fluid, reagent and waste levels, cleaning per manual, temperature records, QC, alarm review |
| Weekly | Deeper cleaning tasks the manual specifies, consumable stock, log review, centrifuge balance and rotor check |
| Monthly | Service and calibration due dates, downtime review, temperature trends, competency spot checks, spare parts stock |
The examples above illustrate how frequently frequency must adhere to manufacturer's guidelines the results of risk assessments and the specific requirements outlined in your company's SOPs. No one size fits all schedule exists for determining frequency.
Common Laboratory Equipment Maintenance Mistakes
- Delayed servicing: postponing visits until something breaks.
- Incomplete documentation: logs missing or written later.
- Ignored warnings: dismissing messages and rising QC failures.
- Untrained handling: operators unsure of correct procedures.
- Poor environmental monitoring: unnoticed temperature or power problems.
- Skipping SOPs: each shift doing it differently.
How Digital Laboratory Management Supports Equipment Maintenance
Paper logs and spreadsheet systems can be used for laboratories that have limited numbers of instruments, shifts, and/or locations. A digital system will allow laboratories to maintain their service histories instrument calibrations/corrections quality control data, and overall laboratory operations visibility in a single location. Our guides for addressing common management issues faced by laboratories and the benefits of being an NABL-accredited laboratory discuss the importance of record keeping.
MargLabz is a Lab OS with AI capabilities for diagnostic laboratories states on its website that it provides two-way analyzer interfacing, SOP, CAPA and calibration records, IQC with Westgard rules, cold chain monitoring that logs excursions, and AI Analyser Monitoring on its Professional Plan. You can find information about analyzer connectivity in our LIMS Integration Guide. For instance if a lab finds that they have recorded the same centrifuge noise three times in one month they may decide to schedule a service call sooner than originally planned based upon the history. To determine how maintenance dates, service histories and alerts are recorded for each instrument and what can be done automatically versus entered manually by personnel, ask the vendor.
Conclusion
Equipment reliability is critical to reliable results. Equipment reliability is built upon habits such as schedules, manufacturer recommendations, record keeping, operator training and proper maintenance. Begin by documenting all equipment in your laboratory, along with a description of which personnel perform each task on each piece of equipment and the frequency with which these tasks are performed. Document every service report received for every piece of equipment, and document the QC results obtained immediately after each service. You may want to schedule a free demonstration of MargLabz to learn more about how a connected system can assist you in organizing these processes.