A weekly autoclave maintenance entry is a short, dated record of the checks that keep the sterilizer working between services: door gasket and chamber condition, drain strainer, water quality, the Bowie-Dick result where the cycle type needs it, and the biological indicator outcome for the week. It is not a repair report. If a check reveals a fault, the entry records the observation, who was told and what was done, and the sterilizer comes out of use until it is resolved. Clinics that keep monitoring stock at the machine — a Bowie-Dick test pack for pre-vacuum cycles and a spore indicator for daily monitoring — tend to keep the log completed, because nothing has to be fetched from a store room.
Below is the column set for a printable weekly sheet, with what to record in each and why it is there.
Which columns belong on a weekly autoclave maintenance log?
| Column | What to record | Why it is on the sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Date and shift | Day and who checked | Attribution if a trend appears |
| Door gasket | Condition: clean, cracking, needs replacement | Leaks show up as failed cycles |
| Chamber and drain | Debris, staining, drain strainer clear | Soil load and blocked drains affect results |
| Water quality | Source or treatment in use | Poor water leaves scale and spotting |
| Bowie-Dick result | Pass or fail, where the cycle type requires it | Air removal check for pre-vacuum cycles |
| Biological indicator | Result for each sterilizer that ran | The record inspectors ask for |
| Action taken | Fault, who was notified, sterilizer removed from use | Closes the loop on a failure |
How does the weekly sheet relate to the daily log?
The daily log records each cycle and its monitoring result; the weekly sheet summarises condition and maintenance and points back to the daily entries. Keep both, and keep them together. In Ontario the RCDSO requires a biological indicator for each sterilizer on every day it is used — that is daily monitoring, not weekly. The weekly baseline is the CDC / AAMI ST79 standard in most US states, which is why a US-sourced template sometimes shows a weekly column where a Canadian clinic needs a daily one.
What should happen when a weekly check fails?
Stop using the sterilizer, tag it, record the failure on the same sheet, and route the decision to your sterilizer service provider. A failed Bowie-Dick or a failed biological indicator is not a line to cross out and move past. Note the loads that were affected, decide whether they can be released, and record the decision. The sheet exists so that this sequence is followed the same way regardless of who is on shift.
How should the sheet be stored?
File the completed sheet by date, and keep the filed copies where an inspector can reach them without a login. A digital system is convenient, but the printed sheet is what survives a computer failure — and a maintenance log that cannot be produced is a maintenance log that was not kept.
Make it repeatable: print the compliance log templates, use the same page as your free log generator, and ask a compliance specialist when a result is unclear.
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Related reading
Daily sterilization log columns for a Canadian dental clinic · Autoclave tape storage: heat and humidity · Biological indicator incubator care: daily routine
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes on a weekly autoclave maintenance log?
Gasket and chamber condition, drain strainer, water quality, the Bowie-Dick result where required, the biological indicator result, and any action taken.
Is weekly monitoring enough in Ontario?
No. In Ontario the RCDSO requires a biological indicator for each sterilizer on every day it is used, which is daily monitoring.
What do I do if a weekly check fails?
Remove the sterilizer from use, tag it, record the failure and the notification, review affected loads, and route it to the service provider.
Should the log be paper or digital?
Keep a printed sheet filed by date even if you also log digitally, so the record survives a system failure.
CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).
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