Handling Temperature Excursions: What Every Lab Should Know

Introduction to Temperature Excursions

No one likes surprises in the lab, especially when it comes to cold storage. One minute everything’s fine, the next you’re dealing with a temperature excursion and wondering if your expensive inventory is still viable or safe.

Whether you’re storing sensitive biological materials, a chemistry compound, or a sterile diluent vaccine, even a small temperature slip can cause a tremendous amount of waste and hassle. In this article we’ll look at temperature excursions and what labs can do to keep them at bay.

What is a Temperature Excursion?

By definition, a temperature excursion occurs when a product is exposed to temperatures outside its recommended storage range. Temperature guidelines are typically given by the manufacturer as well as regulatory bodies like the CDC. These temperature guidelines aren’t just suggestions—they’re crucial for keeping things like vaccines, cell samples, and medications safe and effective.

For example, most vaccines and sterile diluents need to stay between 2°C and 8°C. If they get too warm or too cold—even briefly—their potency can drop, which puts patients and samples at risk.

Why Temperature Stability Matters

Think of temperature stability like the heartbeat of your cold storage system. If it stays steady, everything inside stays healthy. If it spikes or crashes, that can lead to:

Wasted vaccines and reagents
Interrupted research
Compliance nightmares
Lost money and time

According to the CDC, just one unreported excursion can make vaccines unsafe to use. ¹ So yes—even one small deviation can have major consequences.

What Causes Temperature Excursions?

Temperature excursions aren’t always dramatic failures. Often, they’re everyday slip-ups like the following:

Someone leaving the fridge door open
Power outages with no backup plan
Overfilling the fridge and blocking airflow
Equipment that’s outdated or running poorly

These small things can lead to big problems if not caught early and corrected.

What to Do When you Experience a Temperature Excursion

Caught in a temperature excursion? Here’s an action plan for your lab:

Report it. Let your supervisor or quality team know ASAP.
Document it. Note the time, temperature, and how long it lasted.
Isolate the product. Don’t use it until you’re sure it’s still safe.
Call the manufacturer. They’ll have information to help you determine if the product is still usable and what actions to take.
Review what happened. Fix the issue so it doesn’t happen again.

The faster you act, the more likely you are to save the product, your money, and the day.

How to Prevent Temperature Excursions in the First Place

Here’s the good news: most temperature excursions are preventable. Here’s how to stop them before they start:

Use purpose-built lab refrigerators and freezers (not those old breakroom fridges).
Utilize alarms and real-time temperature monitoring in your equipment.
Schedule regular equipment checkups.
Train your team—everyone should know what to do if temperatures go off-track.
Keep records—because if it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.

Not sure where to start? Explore our popular glass door models at ABS designed with precision temperature control for everyday laboratory use. Storing vaccines? Look no further than the gold standard NSF/ANSI models that are designed to make your vaccines thrive.

Smart Refrigeration means Fewer Headaches

Modern labs are looking for refrigerators and freezers that are smarter than ever. Look for units that offer:

Real-time monitoring
Data logging features
Built-in alarms
Battery backups
Fan-forced airflow to maintain stable temperatures

These fast-acting features help you catch issues early—before your vaccines and samples end up in the trash. If you’re looking for premier features and intuitive touchscreen displays, take a look at our premier laboratory touchscreen models, specifically our TempLog Premier Glass Door line for top tier performance.

Wrapping Up

In the lab, every detail matters—and that includes temperature. A single temperature excursion can throw off your results, waste valuable inventory, or put patient health at risk.²

Safe samples start with protective, lab-designed equipment. Explore our science-backed and trusted lab refrigeration at americanbiotechsupply.com. By focusing on temperature stability and using the right cold storage equipment, you can keep your lab compliant, your data reliable, and your samples effective and safe.