What is insane is that if all this work was so valuable, that the University didn’t have alarms for the freezer.
Power outages happen, so I would have expected an independent monitoring system would alert key personnel if the temp rose above a set point.
Perhaps the annoying beep was an alarm.
“What is insane is that if all this work was so valuable, that the University didn’t have alarms for the freezer.”
What’s also insane is having a freezer that won’t SHUT THE HELL UP.
The beeping noise was the alarm and repairs had been scheduled for a few days later. Evidently the freezer was working well enough the samples weren't in danger. My guess is there was no one around because of covid work from home.
I have a cold temp alarm in my little apartment building for pipe freezing warning. How can the lab not have something?
Re: No Alarms
Also, the switch had easy and unmarked access to people who had no idea what it did.
No plastic cover. No visual warnings.
I would vote NO money if I was on the jury.
Or at least a little sign above the switch that says "Do Not Turn Off".
Yes, this is just as much an administrative failure. Perhaps more.
1) Train all personnel w/ access to the area.
2) A reliable UPS.
3) No one should be able to accidently power off a critical device. Power should be maintained until a passworded individual performs a shutdown procedure.
4) In the event of a loss of power, audible alarms should sound, system messages pop up, emergency emails get sent, smart phones ring...
5) More of 1 thru 4.
Good point.
“What is insane is that if all this work was so valuable, that the University didn’t have alarms for the freezer.”
What is insane is posting fake info without reading the article.