Rules and Procedure for Tracking -80 Freezer Contents

Rules and procedure for tracking -80 freezer contents.docx

ALL freezer maps will now be kept within the “Freezer Info” folder in the current DRP folder on UT Box. The Freezer Info folder will contain several items:

“Individual Freezer Maps” folder.

This will contain one excel workbook for each freezer. This way, all information for a freezer will be stored in a single place in the same format, making it easy to back-track information if necessary.

• The naming convention for each workbook will be: freezer name_current date (YYYY-MM-DD)
  • For example “Symphony 1_2020-09-16”.

“Old Maps and Info” folder

This is where outdated/previous maps will be archived. (More on this below.)

Procedure for updating -80 freezer maps

1. Make any changes to the current freezer map, then “save as” to a new file with the freezer name and current date.
2. Move the outdated map to the appropriate folder in the “Old Maps and Info” folder.

The following are rules for using the -80 freezers:

1. Use the space assigned to you.
2. All samples must be inside a freezer box labeled with the project, contents, your name and date. 
3. All freezer boxes must be in a freezer rack. [Exceptions are slides, which are stored in slide racks at the bottom of the freezer.]
4. Condense your samples into as few boxes as possible and discard old samples when you are finished with them.
5. Each person is responsible for updating the freezer map when they make a change/addition. [If you alter the contents of a current box, place a clean label (you will need to cut it to size) over the current entry and write the new info on the label.] Make a note to remind yourself to update the freezer map before you leave each day; that way you won't forget. You must update BOTH the freezer map hanging on the freezer AND the online freezer map. If you currently don't have access to the online freezer map, you will receive an invitation shortly. Let me know if you are unable to access the online map.
6. Make sure the freezer is locked when you are finished for the day.   
7. Improperly stored samples will be discarded without notice. 

Keeping all samples labeled and stored properly makes it much easier to manage a freezer failure and increases the likelihood that your important samples will be salvaged. Thank you for your cooperation.