SWINE FLU PANDEMIC
ADVICE ON CONSERVING LIQUID NITROGEN SUPPLIES IN THE EVENT OF POTENTIAL
DISRUPTION

Departments should liaise directly with the College Purchasing Department with regard to any
concerns over supplies. The College is part of the IUPC Gases Group (Inter-University
Purchasing Committee) and, along with the NHS, is entitled to a high priority service. The
primary College supplier, BOC, has its own business continuity contingency plans in place
and through the IUPC arrangement, the College has access to other suppliers of compressed
and liquefied gases, should there be disruption to the BOC supply.

Give priority to high value applications and preserving high value samples.

Back-up valuable samples by splitting them between different storage vessels (if capacity
permits)

Fill vessels to maximum level (but see below).

Store samples in the liquid phase to prolong period between fills (where safe to do so – it is
strongly advised that infectious material remains stored in the vapour phase)

Limit frequency of access to storage vessels (to minimise evaporative loss via open tops)

Ensure that vessels are maintained in a good state of repair (to minimise natural evaporative
loss)

Ensure that transportable vessels are:
 Clearly identified as to which department or research group they belong.
 Kept in a secure location when sent for re-filling.
 Collected by the department and returned to the laboratory as soon as possible following
re-filling.
(to minimise the risk of vessels being lost through either mistaken identity or deliberate theft)

As a final resort, utilise -80oC freezers as a back-up (-80oC is preferable to +25oC)
Safety Department
June 2009