Cold chain breach action plan

Do this straight away

1. Don't panic and don't bin anything. Vaccines that have been out of range are not automatically unusable.
2. Quarantine the stock. Keep the vaccines in the fridge (or move to a working vaccine fridge), labelled "Do not use until advised".
3. Record the facts. Write down the current, minimum and maximum readings, when the fridge was last read within range, and the likely cause.
4. Fix the cause if you can. Check the plug, the door seal, whether the door was left open, and whether the fridge is overfilled.
5. Get advice. Contact your local screening and immunisation team and, where needed, the vaccine manufacturers, giving them the details you recorded.
6. Follow the advice you get. Use or dispose of the stock exactly as advised, and record the decision.
7. Report and learn. Record it as an incident or significant event and review what would stop it happening again.

Breach record

Prevention checklist

• Switch-off protection: a labelled plug or a switchless socket
• Two thermometers or a data logger on every vaccine fridge
• A named lead and a deputy for the cold chain
• Daily readings on every working day, including after bank holidays
• A plan for power cuts and fridge failure, including a back-up fridge or validated cool boxes
• Staff trained in this plan during induction