To ensure the safety of your colleagues, transport personnel, Thermo Fisher Scientific’s employees and anyone handling any items to be returned (e.g., instruments, part of instrument, accessories, reusable packaging), it is essential that any potential contaminants to which the item was exposed are identified and adequately decontaminated.
Prior to returning any item to a Thermo Fisher Scientific facility or contracted eWaste recycler (whether for repair, maintenance, trade-in, loan or disposal), this form must be completed in full, signed by the Customer, one copy to be attached to the outside of transport packaging and one copy to be included with the item. Similarly, prior to any servicing activity of an instrument this form must be completed in full, signed by the Customer, and given to the Thermo Fisher Scientific contact person.
- Radioactive Materials
a) Apply an industry standard radioactivity decontaminant (e.g. Radiacwash®, Rad-Con® or equivalent) to the item, and wipe surfaces as directed by the decontaminant manufacturer.
b) Survey the item with an appropriate radioactivity-measuring instrument (e.g. Geiger Counter or scintillation counter).
c) Satisfactory decontamination is defined as survey results at or below background level or in the US only, for service work excluding transportation, levels designated to be clean or safe as stated in the Customer’s regulatory approved Site Radioactive Materials License. - Biological Agents
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Laboratory Biosafety Manual describes decontamination procedures that are widely used for item decontamination. Customer is required to refer to the current version of this Manual (available at http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/biosafety) and administer the appropriate decontamination procedures. However, the Customer must assess the suitability of these methods for the biological agents concerned and adherence to any warnings in the item user manuals. Commonly used decontamination agents prescribed by the above Manual include:
a) Sodium hypochlorite Sodium hypochlorite (1:10 dilution of domestic bleach) that gives 5g/l concentration is a general all-purpose disinfectant. However, it should be prepared fresh each time. Avoid mixing bleach with acid as this would release toxic chlorine gas.
b) Formaldehyde Commonly marketed as Formalin, a solution of gas in water of about 37% concentration. It is effective for all microorganisms and spores at temperatures > 20°C, but is not active against prions. Formaldehyde is a suspected carcinogen and safety precautions must be followed when working with the chemical.
c) Glutaraldehyde Generally supplied as a solution of about 2% concentration. It is active against vegetative bacterias, spores, fungi and lipid-/nonlipid-containing viruses. However, it takes several hours to kill bacterial spores. Glutaraldehyde is toxic and an irritant. Safety precautions must be followed when using the chemical.
d) Phenolic compounds Active against vegetative bacteria and lipid-containing viruses and, when properly formulated, against mycobacteria. However, they are not active against spores and produce variable results against non-lipid viruses. Some phenolic compounds may be inactivated by water hardness. Phenolic compounds are toxic and can penetrate the skin. Safety precautions must be followed.
e) Alcohols 70% ethanol or 70% isopropanol are active against vegetative bacteria, fungi and lipid-containing viruses but not against spores. Their actions on non-lipid viruses are variable. Alcohols are flammable and must not be used near open flames.
f) Hydrogen Peroxide A strong oxidant and can be potent broad-spectrum germicides. However, a 3-6% solution of hydrogen peroxide alone is relatively slow and limited as germicides. Hydrogen peroxide can be corrosive and affect skins and mucous membranes. Safety precautions should be exercised when dealing with the chemical.
Special Instructions, Hazard Group 3 or 4
a) Items situated in Biosafety Level/Containment Level 3 or 4 laboratories must be decontaminated, by the customer, using an internationally approved sterilization procedure. The customer must then move the item to either a Containment Level 1 or 2 laboratory for service.
b) Thermo Fisher Scientific employees are not permitted to enter Biosafety Level/Containment Level 3 or 4 laboratories without the prior consent of Thermo Fisher Scientific Management and EH&S.
c) It may not be possible for Thermo Fisher Scientific to service or transport these items.
- Hazardous Chemicals
a) Areas exposed to hazardous chemicals should be washed with an acceptable solvent such as ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol.
b) Rinse with detergent and water.
Please note that Thermo Fisher Scientific cannot accept any item that may be contaminated with viable biological agents, harmful quantities of hazardous chemicals, or radioactive materials.