FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

A platelet shaker provides the movement. It gently agitates platelet bags so the contents stay in motion. A platelet incubator provides the controlled temperature environment. In practice, a platelet shaker is often placed inside a suitable incubator so the bags are both agitated and stored at 20°C to 24°C.

Blood and blood products that require refrigerated storage must be held between 2°C and 6°C. Frozen plasma and plasma products must be stored at -25°C or lower.

In Australia, blood storage refrigeration equipment is covered by Australian Standard AS 3864, Medical refrigeration equipment — For the storage of blood and blood products. AS 3864.1-2012 covers the manufacture and performance requirements for the equipment, while AS 3864.2-2012 covers the ongoing care, maintenance, performance verification and calibration needed after installation.

For this reason, blood should only be stored in purpose-built medical refrigeration equipment designed for blood storage — not in a domestic, pharmacy, vaccine or general-purpose laboratory fridge. A compliant blood fridge must maintain the required temperature range, provide temperature monitoring and alarms, and generate the records needed to support safe storage and compliance.

A compliant plasma freezer should be able to maintain the required storage temperature under the conditions it is designed to operate in, while also providing reliable temperature recording and alarms. This is important because plasma products may later be used for transfusion, and storage outside the required range can compromise product suitability.

In Australia, plasma freezers used for frozen blood product storage must comply with Australian Standard AS 3864, Medical refrigeration equipment — For the storage of blood and blood products, Parts 1 and 2. The freezer should also be checked, verified and maintained so that it continues to hold the required temperature after installation.

Platelet bags are stored at controlled room temperature, 20°C to 24°C, with continuous gentle agitation. The Thermoline TMLR-200 refrigerated incubator is factory set at 22°C and is designed to operate between 20°C and 24°C when ambient temperature is up to 30°C.
The Thermoline TPS-18 platelet bag shaker is designed to fit inside the Thermoline TMLR-200 refrigerated incubator. The TPS-18 operates at a fixed speed of 60 strokes per minute and has been specifically designed to hold platelet bags.
Blood fridges require a higher level of monitoring because they are used to store blood and blood products that may later be transfused into patients. If the fridge temperature moves outside the required range and the issue is not detected quickly, the stored blood products may no longer be safe or suitable for use. A compliant blood fridge should have an alarm system that is separate from the temperature control system. The control system manages the fridge temperature, while the alarm system independently monitors for temperature faults or other issues. This separation is important because a fault in the control system should not also disable the alarm function. If the fridge fails to maintain the correct temperature, staff need a reliable warning so they can respond before blood product safety is compromised. This is one of the key differences between a blood fridge and a standard medical or vaccine fridge.