EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Centrifuge lid interlock

Yes ... but what does the Standard say?

Or, put another way, what's the point in having Standards if folk still don't follow them (just to save a buck or two, presumably)?

Geoff, I don't have access to the standards to check the exact wording, but I'd suggest the best standard to look at is IEC (or BS EN) 61010-2-020.

In any event, you must be sure that the machine will protect the user, even if the user is blind, drunk or blind drunk.

Lids cannot be allowed to be opened whilst the machine is spinning for obvious reasons, but there are other aspects of the standard where inference is given to certain safety considerations but the phraseing given is often very vague.

For instance, not all machines can boast sample containment in event of a disruption. If you are spinning high risk samples, even in small machines, a lid seal and motor seal are paramount to ensure the sample remains contained within the bowl.

You pays your money, you takes your choice...

Believe me I'm well aware of the problem(s), Anthony ... as I'm sure many of us are.

But what I'm pushing at here is (as I often am):- "Chapter and Verse"!

So, if the Standard (whatever it may be, and wherever it may be found) is, shall we say, lacking in any respect ... then let's take steps to get it corrected, clarified, re-written ... whatever.

Then perhaps people can be forced to stop palming off cheap [censored]* rubbish to our hospitals!

Meanwhile, Doom on vague phraseology! Especially in "official" documents produced at Public Expense:- Zero Tolerance there, as far as I'm concerned.

* Country of origin.

Hi all,

There are requirements for laboratory centrifuges. There are a few exceptions below, but most of the small units without lid locks fall foul in one way or another.

I will have to paraphrase the content as I can't directly cut and paste:

The lid must be lock while the rotor is spinning and remain locked until the rotor is less than 2 m/s.

If the lid can be opened it must meet all of the following

1) Have a catch to hold it shut
2) Switch off the motor when lid opened
3) No more than 3600RPM
4) Rotor Energy no more than 1kJ
5) No more than 2000xg
6) Rotor radius no more than 25cm
7) Off Switch
8) See through Rotor Cover
9) If you can open it at more than 2 m/s it must have a sticker

Source document?

Hi Geoff,

The document is BS EN 61010-2-020:2006 for Laboratory centrifuges.

Cheers
Colin

Thanks for that, Colin.

It took a bit of effort, but what I was trying to do was make clear (tease out, expose?) how weak the Standard actually is.

A "sticker" is not really what I had in mind when folk talked about a "lid interlock", sadly.

I completely agree, but most of the equipment out there will not meet the requirements, as they have to meet all the exceptions. You will find that they spin faster than 3600 RPM, produce more than 2000xg and 1kJ is not a very big rotor.

So what would your response be to Graham's original question?

I would first make sure that it meets all the exceptions, I suspect that it may spin faster than 3600 RPM check it on the data sheet or with a strobe. Is it new / secondhand, what size tubes, how many, is it fixed angle?

Thanks
Colin