If the horizontal steam sterilizer cannot be used for an extended period of time, such as during refurbishment or rebuilding, the machine should be properly shut down to remain idle for a longer period of time. All utilities, such as steam and vacuum pump cooling water, must be plugged. Please note that the periodic inspection of the sterilizer is still in effect, even when the sterilizer is idle. Therefore, before the horizontal steam sterilizer is put into operation again, it must be checked whether the sterilizer has to undergo any technical inspection.

Usually, the horizontal steam sterilizer is equipped with an emergency stop button. Pressing this button in the event of a malfunction initiates an emergency program that automatically runs the sterilizer to a safe state, regardless of its current operating state. The operating routine for the emergency procedure is to turn off the heat, release the pressure from the chamber, and lock the chamber door. If a door is moving, emergency procedures will immediately stop the door from moving. Unlocking this interlock between the control system and the chamber containment system requires special access authorization, for example, via a password-protected code or key switch. Note: Do not turn on the sterilizer and steam generator when not in use.