Infrared Thermometer

[Eagle Eye]

Anyone is using infrared thermometer to take temperature of returned units?

Do you get reproducible reading?

How do you take temperature? DO you have procedure you can share?

How often do you send it for calibration?

Make and model of the thermometer in use please?

 

[AMcCord]

I'm going to attempt to validate one because I'd like to use it for that purpose. Fingers crossed that it will work.

[mld123]

At another hospital I worked at we used an infared thermometer I believe from Market Lab or Fisher.  It was so inexpensive that we would just order a new one when the calibration ran out.  About 1 every 2 years.  It cost almost as much to have it recalibrated as a new one did so we just ordered a new one so we would not have to ship the old one out.  Come to think of it, it would be beneficial to have 2 of them and have them recalibrated at different times during the year so you always had one.

[BloodBanker80]

On ‎03‎/‎03‎/‎2018 at 12:32 PM, Eagle Eye said:

Anyone is using infrared thermometer to take temperature of returned units?

Do you get reproducible reading?

How do you take temperature? DO you have procedure you can share?

How often do you send it for calibration?

Make and model of the thermometer in use please?

 

I'm bringing this post back .. What did you come up with for the infrared thermometers?  I'm looking into this as well, would these be considered electronic as in CFR 606.60 Equipment  Frequency of calibration required monthly?  Thank you

Electronic thermometers

Monthly.

[tsanders0703]

We use a Fluke 561 IR thermometer for temps on our blood products.  We send it for calibration annually and test it monthly against a NIST thermometer at freezer temp (-28 to -30C), refrigerator temp (about 4C), room temp (21-22C), and thaw bath temp (35-37C) .  We wrap a unit at the specified temp around a NIST thermometer long enough for it to equillibrate, then hit it with the IR thermometer.  It always correlates within 1C of the NIST, except at freezer temps, which is a little further from 1C. We don't use it to take the temperature of anything in the freezer, but there may come a time where that is useful. I hope this helps

[BloodBanker80]

12 hours ago, tsanders0703 said:

We use a Fluke 561 IR thermometer for temps on our blood products.  We send it for calibration annually and test it monthly against a NIST thermometer at freezer temp (-28 to -30C), refrigerator temp (about 4C), room temp (21-22C), and thaw bath temp (35-37C) .  We wrap a unit at the specified temp around a NIST thermometer long enough for it to equillibrate, then hit it with the IR thermometer.  It always correlates within 1C of the NIST, except at freezer temps, which is a little further from 1C. We don't use it to take the temperature of anything in the freezer, but there may come a time where that is useful. I hope this helps

Yes, that helps!  Thank you  

[Avid1234]

CFR 606.60 has a listing for laboratory thermometers and electronic thermometers. Is it possible that the electronic therms refer to the ones used to check the donor's temp? This would be a good "Ask the FDA" question for the AABB annual meeting session.