A well-managed cryobank is a place of maximum control. Temperatures are monitored, fill levels checked, processes validated. And yet: the residual risk of an emergency is never zero. A power failure, a catastrophic tank failure, a building fire or a flood can affect even the best-equipped facility.
The difference between a cryobank that survives an emergency and one that suffers catastrophic sample loss lies not in avoiding the event itself - but in preparing for it. A well thought-out, regularly practiced emergency plan is the ultimate insurance for your cryopreserved samples.
Consarctic® supports its customers not only with reliable cryogenic technology - but also with the planning and implementation of robust emergency strategies.
A power failure is the most common emergency situation. It directly affects all electronic systems: Monitoring sensors, automatic refill controls, alarm systems and building services.
A decisive advantage of LN2-based cryogenic tanks over electric ULT freezers is that they do not require electricity to maintain their temperature. A well-insulated Consarctic® stainless steel tank maintains its temperature for days without any power supply, as long as the LN2 supply is sufficient.
Whether due to a leak in the vacuum line, an empty bulk tank or a defective refill valve - the failure of the nitrogen supply leads to a long-term drop in the LN2 level and thus to a rise in temperature.
Fire, flooding, earthquakes or vandalism can damage the cryogenic room itself.
The most important measure against site-specific disasters is split storage: the distribution of the sample to two spatially separate locations - ideally in different buildings or even different cities. If one location is lost, the duplicate remains safe at the second location.
An effective emergency plan for a cryobank should include at least the following elements:
A key component of the Consarctic® service offering is 24/7 availability, 365 days a year. In an emergency, our technicians can be reached via a dedicated emergency hotline and can usually be on site within a few hours.
We also offer regular emergency planning workshops in which we run through site-specific scenarios together with your team and optimize the emergency plan.
An emergency doesn't have to be a disaster - if you are prepared. The combination of robust cryoproducts, intelligent monitoring, redundant infrastructure and a trained team creates a safety net that can withstand even the worst-case scenario.
Would you like to review your emergency plan or create a new one? Contact our service team for a comprehensive risk assessment of your cryoinfrastructure.