Cold Chain Management Essentials: How to fill out a Cold chain breach report form

0:04 - Immunisation providers must always store vaccines between 2°C and 8°C so that patients can receive effective and potent vaccines.

0:16 - A cold chain breach occurs when vaccines are exposed to temperatures below 2°C or above 8°C or exposed to direct light, including sunlight, UV or fluorescent light.

0:33 - If vaccines are exposed to temperatures up to 12°C for less than 15 minutes, it is a minor temperature fluctuation and does not need to be reported.

0:44 - So what do you do when a cold chain breach occurs?

0:48 - Follow these steps for cold chain breaches affecting government funded vaccines that are stored in the vaccine fridge.

0:57 - For delivery breaches, refer to the delivery breach reporting protocol.

1:02 - Isolate the vaccines and place a sign on the vaccine fridge to not use or discard vaccines until further notice.

1:11 - Continue to store vaccines between 2°C and 8°C.

1:16 - The vaccines may need to be transferred to another working vaccine fridge or a temperature monitored cooler if available. By downloading and assessing the data logger temperature reports, determine the length of the cold chain breach as well as the temperature reached.

1:34 - Count the number of each vaccine affected by the breach and document how many have been breached before.

1:43 - Download the cold chain breach report form. You can find the form by searching Cold Chain Breach Reporting at www.health.vic.gov.au

1:55 - Email the completed form to immunisation@health.vic.gov.au and attach all the required documents.

2:05 - Await advice from the Department of Health Immunisation Unit for what to do with each vaccine.

2:14 - This is the Victorian Department of Health cold chain breach report form.

2:19 - Download the latest form before starting and complete all sections accurately for a timely response.

2:26 - In box 1, enter the immunisation provider details.

2:31 - In box 2, record the details of the cold chain breach, including the total time and the temperature reached.

2:40 - Also, document any previous breaches affecting current vaccine stock.

2:47 - Different vaccines are affected by different temperatures, so in the vaccine table, list the quantity of each vaccine affected.

2:55 - Include the number of vaccines impacted by previous breaches and calculate the total exposure time.

3:05 - For example, there may be 10 vaccines in the vaccine fridge that have been affected by the current breach.

3:12 - However, 5 of these vaccines were also affected by a previous cold chain breach that lasted 12 hours.

3:21 - In addition to the cold chain breach report form, attach the data logger report, set at 5-minute intervals, for the duration of the cold chain breach. To be able to assess the temperatures accurately, email it as a table rather than a line graph.

3:40 - Include a copy of the vaccine fridge temperature chart and if the vaccines were transferred to a temperature monitored cooler, include these documented temperatures as well.

3:52 - After the information is emailed, DO NOT use or discard the vaccines.

3:58 - Await the advice from the Department of Health.

4:01 - After the cold chain breach is assessed, the Department of Health may advise for some vaccines to be discarded.

4:09 - For these vaccines, strike through the box and discard according to clinical waste protocols.

4:16 - For vaccines that are still valid, the department will advise to mark the box in case of a future breach.

4:24 - This includes documenting the date and length of the cold chain breach as well as the temperature reached as a reference for any future cold chain breaches.

4:36 - Make sure to use this stock first.

4:39 - For more information, visit www.health.vic.gov.au and search for Cold Chain Management or search for the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines - "Strive for 5".