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What This Guide Helps With
Use this guide for excessive heat, visible steam or water leakage, or unexpected water accumulation around the sterilizer.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect Personnel and Patient Care
Stop use immediately for active steam leakage, uncontrolled water leakage, excessive heat, burning odor, or any condition presenting a slip, burn, or electrical hazard.
Keep personnel away from the affected area and redirect processing to another validated sterilizer.
Expected outcome: The hazard is controlled and no patient-care workflow depends on the affected sterilizer.
2. Determine Whether Emergency Isolation Is Required
If safe and within facility procedure, stop the cycle and place the sterilizer in its approved safe state. Coordinate utility isolation with Facilities when necessary.
Do not approach hot pressurized piping or energized equipment standing in water.
Expected outcome: The sterilizer and surrounding area are stabilized without creating additional risk.
3. Identify the Source Area Without Disassembly
Observe whether water, condensate, or steam appears to originate from the door, chamber drain, external supply connection, building drain, nearby plumbing, or another visible location.
Do not remove panels to chase an active hot or pressurized leak.
Expected outcome: The general source category is identified safely.
4. Inspect Door Sealing Areas
When safe and cool, inspect accessible door sealing surfaces and the gasket for debris or visible damage.
Expected outcome: The door sealing area is clean and visibly intact. If an accessible obstruction caused minor leakage and correction fully resolves it, continue to controlled verification.
5. Inspect Accessible Drainage
Check the chamber drain screen and visible drain path for blockage. Look for evidence of building-drain backup or water returning toward the sterilizer.
Expected outcome: Drainage is unobstructed. If an external drain blockage caused the condition and is corrected, verify normal operation before return to service.
6. Inspect External Utility Connections
Visually inspect accessible water, steam, and drain connections for leakage, looseness, or damage.
Do not tighten or disturb hot, pressurized, or unsafe fittings.
Expected outcome: External connections are dry and secure, or a facility-side problem is identified for Facilities repair.
7. Evaluate an Overtemperature Report
Determine whether the concern is excessive cabinet heat, abnormal room heat, a displayed temperature warning, or a process-temperature problem.
Check for blocked external ventilation areas and unusual environmental heat without opening internal assemblies.
Expected outcome: Environmental or external airflow causes are ruled out. Any persistent abnormal heat requires service escalation.
8. Perform Controlled Verification Only After the Area Is Safe
If the cause was clearly external and safely corrected, run an appropriate controlled test while observing for renewed leakage, abnormal heat, or drainage problems.
Do not leave the unit unattended during initial verification.
Expected outcome: No leak, abnormal heat, or water accumulation returns and the test completes normally. Troubleshooting can stop after required verification.
9. Remove From Service for Any Unresolved Hazard
If the source is unknown, leakage recurs, abnormal heat continues, or there is evidence of internal water or steam escape, remove the sterilizer from service.
Expected outcome: A potentially hazardous sterilizer remains unavailable until professionally repaired and tested.
If the Problem Persists
Common external sealing, drainage, utility, and environmental causes have been checked. Remaining possibilities may include internal piping, valves, steam-control components, drain assemblies, seals, heating controls, sensors, or other service-level faults.
The sterilizer should be:
- Removed from service.
- Labeled Out of Service.
- Have affected utilities isolated when required by facility safety procedures.
- Sent for qualified repair or service evaluation.
- Evaluated using appropriate Getinge documentation and approved test equipment.
- Repaired only by qualified personnel.
- Required to pass leak, safety, functional, and applicable process verification before return to service.
Knowing when an active leak or thermal hazard requires immediate escalation is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot an active steam or water leak closely enough to expose staff to burns, electrical hazards, or slippery floors; secure the area first.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Sterile Processing reported water collecting on the floor beside the Getinge GSS67H after a cycle."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the facility drain serving the sterilizer was backing up during discharge."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Facilities corrected the drain obstruction, and Clinical Engineering completed a controlled test cycle with no further water accumulation or leakage observed."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Water, steam, or overtemperature symptom
- Exact location of leakage
- Whether the unit was in a cycle
- Displayed warning or message
- Door and gasket condition
- Chamber drain condition
- Building drain behavior
- External utility connection condition
- Unusual heat, odor, or sound
- Test-cycle results
- Final device status
Final Thought
Active leaks and abnormal heat require safety-first troubleshooting. Secure the area, check external sealing, drainage, utilities, and environment without invasive disassembly, and escalate any recurring or unexplained hazard with clear CCR documentation.
That is successful troubleshooting.