Correct cooling practice is essential to maintain sterility. When a sterile item is not cooled in the correct manner the article can have moisture build up, which can contaminate stock. The item should be discharged if the packaging is torn, punctured or wet. Before any sterilized items is used it is necessary that the item be in the temperature range of 18-22ºC with relative humidity of 35-70%. In general this can be achieved with a cooling time of two hours however it does depend on the density of the item processed. AS 4187 recommends that at the end of the sterilization process, stock should be removed and inspected for signs of moisture. Sterile packs removed from a steam sterilizer should be cooled on a mesh surface to prevent the packaging from sweating. Do not place items on a solid surface or use forced cooling methods including fans or boosted air conditioning. If a plastic dust cover is to be applied, it needs to be applied after the sterile item has completely cooled. The equipment storage area must be free from dust, draughts, dampness and high traffic activity to minimise bioburden and environmental contamination. All sterile packages should be handled as little as possible to decrease risk of contamination.

Autoclave tape

Autoclave indicator tape

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Chemical indicator

Emulating indicator

Steam indicator class 4

Steam indicator class 6

Sterilization equipments

Rejection of items intended to be sterile AS 4187 lists conditions under which a product is considered non-sterile. These may be summarised as items that: • are incorrectly wrapped • are damaged or opened • are still wet after the sterilizing cycle or comes into contact with a wet surface • have been placed or dropped on a dirty surface • have no indication of having been through a sterilizing process Disinfection & Sterilization Guidelines Queensland Health Version 2: November 2008 Page 13 of 16 Storage of sterile stock Immediately following sterilization, items should be minimally handled and stored in a low traffic area while cooling (refer AS 4187).