Forms of Sterilization of Mechanical Monitors

Sterilization is an important process, whether you're working in food service, body art or in a hospital setting. Utensils, needles and other objects that can carry disease or lead to horrendous infection must be cleaned, and there are machines that are designed to clean and sterilize these things. One of the primary methods of monitoring this sterilization process is called mechanical sterilization, and it's your first line of defense.

Thermometer

• One of the easiest forms of mechanical monitoring is to check the thermometer. This gauge will show you the temperature that's being used inside the sterilization machine, and all you have to do is compare the heat being used to the heat you need to kill off the germs on the tools, and you've got a good idea of how the sterilization process is going.

Pressure Gauge

• Many sterilization machines operate with both pressure and heat as a way to make the environment as unpleasant for germs and contagions as possible. The pressure gauge, when used in combination with the thermometer, can be used to give you a good idea as to just how sterile the environment is getting.

Chemical Strip

• In some sterilization methods a chemical strip is put into the machine along with the instruments to be sterilized. When the process is finished, look at the strip and see if it changed color. If it did not, the process missed the mark and the sterilization cannot be considered complete.

Caution

• Mechanical forms of sterilization monitoring are just one form of sterilization monitoring. You can use chemical monitoring and biological monitoring to get a complete check up to see if the instruments are as sterile as they need to be.