Currently, we buy new thermometers every year, with new certificates of calibration. Obviously if one get damaged we replace & make sure we receive the cert from manufacturer.
We verify accuracy at start of each shift using Ice Bath method and it is documented. I have three shifts so we check all of them, three times a day.
To Spidey's and FSQA's point - those are the best practices but it can be costly to send out a bunch of thermometers for calibration. Those IR guns are not easy to calibrate in house either. Luckily - there is always more than 1 way to do something.
So for you to ensure that this passes per audit standards...
1. Have a thermometer with an unexpired calibration certificate to use at all times.
2. When performing your verifications - that thermometer with the unexpired calibration should be in the ice bath - this is what you are verifying your in use thermometer against. If you only have the IR probes/guns that is fine. Just as long as you have readings from each.
3. Compare the 2 readings - If its in spec - great! No corrective actions needed.
4. If its out of spec - you throw it away and provide a new thermometer for use (if the calibration cert is expired, you document the verification prior to handing it out). you may want to have some form of hold/investigation to ensure the product was not at risk because of the invalid temperature reading as well.
So you are not calibrating because you are throwing it away when it no longer meets specification to the calibrated standard. As long as that is documented - I do not believe you should have an issue with that.
Edited by Kara S., 04 May 2022 - 08:44 PM.