Why You Should Use a Laboratory Temperature Monitoring System

When you store temperature-sensitive items in a laboratory, it’s important to keep track of temperature as efficiently as possible. Otherwise, you could end up ruining some of the items you’re storing in the laboratory when there’s a sudden temperature change.

It can be stressful, to imagine these items being ruined by a drop or rise in temperature that’s unexpected.

Fortunately, with a laboratory temperature monitoring system, you can more easily track temperature changes.

This will make it easier for you to control temperatures in your laboratory and has many additional benefits. In this article, we’ll review why you should use a laboratory temperature monitoring system.

You Can Meet Regulatory Requirements

When you run a laboratory, you likely have regulatory requirements related to temperature that you have to follow because of the items you’re storing. The reason these requirements exist is for the prevention of the contamination of samples.

In the US, for example, the Food and Drug Administration requires labs to have optimal temperatures.

Other temperature standards exist through organizations, such as the International Standards Organization and the World Health Organization.

By monitoring lab temperatures with a temperature monitoring system, you can meet these regulatory requirements.

This is important for two reasons. First of all, you could end up having to pay fines if you don’t follow these regulations. Even worse, you could end up having your laboratory shut down.

You Can Prevent Contamination

Regular temperature monitoring is key for the prevention of contamination in a lab. So if you want to ensure that your samples don’t become contaminated, you need to use temperature monitoring equipment to keep track of temperature so this doesn’t occur.

Considering that contamination can end up invalidating the results of any tests you might be carrying out in your lab, this is incredibly important.

It will also keep you from having to complete the tests again, which can be costly for your lab.

You Can Control Bacteria and Microbe Growth

Note, too, that changes in the climate of your lab can lead to bacteria and microbe growth. Depending on what tests you run in your lab, you might want to discourage or encourage this from occurring.

This is where temperature monitoring can also come in handy. You can set temperatures and ensure they stay that way, too, so that your results end up being more accurate.

You Can Prevent Physical Properties From Changing

When the temperature inside a lab changes, this can cause the stored substances’ physical properties to change. When this occurs, the results that are found from the testing could end up being unusable. The physical properties that might change include viscosity, form, and density.

This is one of the many reasons why temperature monitoring in your lab is essential. With a laboratory temperature monitoring system, you can find out about the slightest shift in temperature and set the temperature back to the right degree so these changes won’t occur.

You Can Prevent the Effects of Hot and Cold Spots

Sometimes, hot and cold spots can occur when someone is changing samples and during the storage of samples. When this occurs, it’s often because of the cooling or heating systems that are within the lab itself, creating a specific area where the temperature is different.

When a hot or cold spot appears, a laboratory temperature monitoring system can immediately sense it, after which the temperature can be changed accordingly.

This will prevent the effects of these hot and cold spots, as they will disappear quickly, which means that the substances will remain stable.

Staff Will Get Notifications Immediately

An additional reason you should use a laboratory temperature monitoring system is that your staff will get notifications immediately if anything relating to temperature goes wrong. For example, say that a refrigerator or freezer that contains important samples ends up failing.

If this were to occur, the temperature monitoring systems could immediately notify the right people of that situation.

As a result, your staff will be able to deal with the problem immediately and take any additional steps needed, whether that’s re-starting the refrigerator or freezer or putting the samples in a different temperature-controlled appliance.

You Get the Greatest Accuracy

When it comes to monitoring temperature in a lab, there are more old-fashioned ways of measuring temperature, such as having an employee come in and check the temperature. However, with a temperature monitoring system, you’ll have greater accuracy.

This is for three reasons. For one thing, employees could potentially make mistakes when recording the temperature. This could end up having devastating consequences, making samples unusable and test invalid.

Second, temperature monitoring systems are modern equipment that will track temperature accurately, more so than older systems.

Third, however regularly your employees are going in to track the temperature of rooms, fridges, refrigerators, and other areas and appliances, there could always be a sudden rise or drop in temperature.

Because laboratory temperature monitoring systems are always monitoring the temperature, the figures you get for the temperature will be the most accurate and current.

Keep in mind that, if you choose to use a laboratory temperature monitoring system, that it will be most accurate if you re-calibrate the sensors once or two times per year.

Additionally, depending on your refrigeration unit or freezer, you might need to do this more often. Check to make sure you’re doing this re-calibration as often as you should be.

You Get 24/7 Monitoring

Another problem that comes with the more old-fashioned way of measuring temperature that we reviewed in the last point is that you’re only able to track the temperature of your laboratory with it at specific times—and these times only fall into the days when your lab is operating.

This means that in addition to having larger gaps between the times the temperature is taken throughout the day, you also won’t be able to monitor the temperature when the lab is closed.

With a laboratory temperature monitoring system, you don’t have this problem. You get 24/7 monitoring.

Whether the lab is closed during business hours or everyone is away on vacation, you get monitoring at all hours.

You Can Access the System From Anywhere

An additional benefit you get when using a laboratory temperature monitoring system is that you can access it from anywhere. Alternative systems might require someone to be on-site to change the temperature to the correct degree if it has shifted or a temperature-related emergency has occurred.

Not so with this type of monitoring system. Whenever you get an alert relating to temperature issues, you can change the temperature to the correct one from anywhere.

This means you can fix the issue whether you’re away from the lab for lunch or you’re out on the beach on vacation.

You Can Maintain Temperature Records More Easily

When you’re storing samples and completing tests in your laboratory, you often have to maintain temperature records. This might be record-keeping in your laboratory or to assure organizations that you’re meeting regulatory requirements for temperature.

If you don’t have a laboratory temperature monitoring system, it can be challenging to maintain these temperature records.

For one thing, they will have to be recorded every time they are checked. There is room for error when this occurs.

Additionally, even if the recording is done correctly, these records will then have to be put in the right place and organized correctly, whether they’re being filed physically or digitally.

With a temperature monitoring system, the temperatures that are taken are automatically recorded. This makes it easier for you to maintain temperature records, whatever you need them for.

You can also access these records from anywhere, even if you’re across the world. Additionally, once you have enough data gathered, you can use it to ensure that you run your laboratory even more effectively.

Some Systems Offer More Than Only Temperature Information

Some laboratory temperature monitoring systems offer more than only temperature information. This is helpful because you can more easily pinpoint additional issues to address so that there aren’t any negative impacts on the substances stored at your lab.

This information might include carbon dioxide levels, humidity levels, ambient light, whether doors are open or closed, pressure differentials, power outages, or water leaks or flooding.

When it comes to maintaining conditions that are optimal in your lab, many of these factors are important.

For this reason, it can be incredibly helpful to have access to all this information 24/7, from wherever you are.

By investing in a laboratory temperature monitoring system that tracks these factors, too, you can ensure that your laboratory is operating in optimal conditions.

And if you get an alert that isn’t, you can quickly and easily address the issue because you already have it identified.

It’s Better for Your Employees (And for You)

Another important reason why you should use a laboratory temperature monitoring system is that it’s better for your employees. By ensuring that the temperature is comfortable in the workplace, you’ll be proving your employees with a better work experience.

This, in turn, will make them happier to work for you, which will also make them more productive.

Additionally, workplace environments where extreme temperature changes occur can create employment law issues.

You can avoid this by using a temperature monitoring system that helps you regulate the temperature of your lab so it’s the correct temperature for your employees there.

You Can Fix Issues Quickly

Like with any type of technology, laboratory temperature monitoring systems can have issues that require being fixed. However, one of the benefits of this technological solution is that repair, remediation, and diagnostic can all be completed quickly.

Even though it’s rare for issues to occur, this can give you peace of mind when investing in a temperature monitoring system for your laboratory.

You’ll Save Money and Time

Another reason for using a laboratory temperature monitoring system is that you’ll save money and time. Think about it this way. If you use an alternative where you have an employee who is constantly checking the temperature, they aren’t focusing on other tasks as much.

These other tasks could be less redundant and more urgent, but they can’t complete them because it’s necessary to regularly check temperatures in your laboratory.

But with a laboratory temperature monitoring system, all this is done automatically. Instead, your employees can focus on other responsibilities, only dealing with temperature if they’re notified of any issues.

Additionally, your employees won’t lose time when it comes to looking over records if they need to present them.

This will all save your employees great amounts of time.

In terms of cost, even though it might seem like a significant investment, a laboratory temperature monitoring system will pay off over time.

The ROI will be significant because of all the money you’ll save on fines you won’t have to pay, substances that don’t get harmed by temperature changes, the time your employees have to complete other tasks, and more.

Want to Learn About the Laboratory Temperature Monitoring System Options?

Now that you’ve learned about why you should use a laboratory temperature monitoring system, you might want to learn more about this option. Maybe you want to find out more about how these systems work or which systems might work best for you.

Whatever information you need, we can help. At Sensocientific, we’re experts when it comes to temperature monitoring systems.

We also sell wireless temperature monitoring systems for a variety of industries. To learn more about our temperature monitoring products and sign up for our services, contact us now.