Storage & Handling Guidelines
Requirements for proper storage, transport, and handling of laboratory equipment to prevent contamination, deterioration, and damage.
Storage Environment
All metrology-sensitive equipment is stored in the laboratory itself, which is climate-controlled and continuously monitored. There is no separate storage facility — the storage conditions are the laboratory's operating conditions. This eliminates the risk of thermal shock or humidity exposure that would come from moving equipment between environments with different climate profiles.
Temperature and humidity in the lab are monitored and recorded in accordance with the requirements described in 6.3 Facilities and Environmental Conditions. Because storage and operating conditions are identical, equipment is always in thermal equilibrium with its working environment — no additional acclimatization period is needed when equipment has remained in the lab.
General Handling Principles
Proper handling protects equipment from the two main threats to measurement integrity: contamination and mechanical damage. Contamination is particularly critical for the gas flow path — particles, moisture, or oil in the flow elements directly affect their calibration coefficients and measurement performance. Mechanical shock can shift internal components or damage sensitive transducers, leading to undetected systematic errors.
When handling any laboratory equipment, follow these general principles:
- Keep gas ports capped when equipment is not in active use. This prevents dust and moisture ingress into the flow path.
- Handle equipment with clean, dry hands or appropriate gloves. Skin oils and moisture are contaminants for precision gas flow components.
- Allow equipment to reach thermal equilibrium with the lab environment before use. This applies after transport from external calibration — not during normal lab operation, where equipment is already at ambient temperature.
- Follow manufacturer-specific handling instructions as documented in the equipment manuals.
Contamination of a molbloc flow element is difficult to detect and difficult to reverse. A contaminated molbloc may still produce readings that look plausible but are systematically biased. Prevention through proper handling is far more effective than attempting to clean a contaminated element.
Transport for External Calibration
Metrology-sensitive equipment never leaves the laboratory except for external calibration. We do not perform on-site calibrations at customer facilities, so transport is exclusively for sending reference standards and instruments to their respective calibration providers.
Equipment is always transported personally — never via parcel services. Third-party couriers cannot guarantee the shock and vibration protection that precision instruments require, and the risk of damage during handling and sorting is unacceptable for equipment whose calibration status depends on physical integrity. The lab carries dedicated transport insurance covering these shipments.
The packing and transport procedure is as follows:
Cap all gas ports and protect exposed connectors.
Place the equipment in its designated Pelican case with the original foam inserts. Every reference standard has a dedicated case sized for it.
Place the Pelican case inside a cardboard shipping carton for an additional layer of protection.
Transport the carton by personal vehicle directly to the calibration laboratory.
Some calibration providers — such as Europascal — offer a pickup service where they send a representative to collect the equipment directly from the lab. This is an acceptable alternative to personal transport, as the provider assumes responsibility for handling from the point of collection.
Return to Service
Equipment returning from external calibration or service does not go back into use automatically. The return-to-service process ensures that the equipment functions correctly and that its new calibration status is properly recorded before it produces results that the lab relies on. This satisfies the verification requirement of clause 6.4.4.
The lab manager is responsible for recommissioning equipment. The process has three steps:
Complete the device-specific functionality checklist. Each equipment type has its own checklist verifying that the instrument operates correctly — power-on behavior, communication, basic measurement checks.
Enter the new calibration certificate into the equipment management system. This updates the equipment master list, records the certificate data, and resets the next calibration due date.
Apply the internal calibration sticker to the unit. The sticker identifies the calibration status and validity period, satisfying the labeling requirement of clause 6.4.8.
Only after all three steps are complete is the equipment released for use in calibration activities.