Mortuary Refrigerator Specifications: A Procurement Checklist for Hospitals

Mortuary refrigerator specifications written into the purchase request are what make bids comparable. This guide lists the items to put in the tender document: material, temperature range, cooling unit, the alarm and what happens in a power cut, doors and trays, options, and what to ask the supplier to document on delivery. It is a checklist for hospital and forensic-facility procurement teams and it complements the capacities guide rather than repeating it; cell count and room size are covered there.

Mortuary refrigerator specifications: what to write into the request

Many requests stop at the number of cells and the outside dimensions, and the bids that come back cannot be compared side by side. A better request covers six fixed items: material, temperature, cooling capacity, alarm and behaviour in a power cut, door and tray design, and the options you need.

Write each item as a requirement that can be answered yes, no or with a number, and ask the supplier to attach a data sheet for the exact model offered. A bid that describes a general range without naming the model is a weak basis for an award.

Material and construction

The unit runs day and night and is cleaned and disinfected often, so material is the first question. In the Preservus range by Medica-Lab the body is 304 stainless steel inside and outside, and body-contact surfaces are the same grade.

State the steel grade in the request and ask for panel thickness and insulation. Check that the dimensions quoted are the outside size of the whole unit and not the cell interior alone; the interior of the single-cell unit, for example, is 550 × 700 mm and can be adjusted on request.

Temperature range: refrigerator or freezer version

The refrigerator version runs between +2 and +8°C and the freezer version between -10 and -20°C. Any cell configuration can be supplied in either version, so a change in procedure does not need a different model.

Specify the version for each unit and ask the bid to state the guaranteed range, not a nominal one. If the facility needs both versions, list the quantity of each separately.

Cooling unit and its rating

Cooling unit rating depends on the model: 0.50 HP for the single-cell MLM-01E, 0.75 HP for the two-cell MLM-01 and 1 HP for the three-cell MLM-02. Ratings for the larger units are confirmed in the quotation for the chosen configuration.

Ask the supplier to state the rating and the number of cooling units per refrigerator. Multiple independent cooling units are available as an option, worth asking about if you want part of the cells to keep running when one unit fails.

Alarm and behaviour in a power cut

Standard units restart automatically after a power cut. A UPS-backed temperature alarm that stays live during an outage and emergency cooling are available as options. They are optional, so write them in as requirements if you need them, otherwise they will not appear in the bids.

Also ask where the alarm sounds and who receives it: at the unit only, or in a monitored room. An alarm nobody hears does not do its job.

Doors, cells and trays

Each cell has a door and a stainless steel tray with two handles. State the lock type you need; universal door locking is available as an option. Mention whether the room has a low ceiling, because the two-cell unit also comes as a two-door horizontal version, code MLM-01H.

Add a deodorizer, also an option, if ventilation in the room is limited. To compare sizes and configurations, use the mortuary refrigerators page; for working out the number of cells, use the capacities guide.

Delivery, commissioning and documents

Units are delivered, positioned, connected and temperature-tested on site, and handed over with a written commissioning record. Medica-Lab teams cover Saudi Arabia and Egypt directly; in other markets we work through the appointed local partner.

Ask for a valid copy of the ISO 13485:2016 certificate whose scope includes mortuary refrigerators, and check its expiry date. Require the model data sheet and a dimensioned drawing to come with the bid.

What determines the price

The price follows the number of cells and the version, refrigerator or freezer, the number of cooling units, added options such as the UPS-backed alarm and emergency cooling, and the delivery city and installation site. Send us the checklist above with the number of cells you need and we will return a quotation on the right model.

Frequently asked questions

What are the standard mortuary refrigerator specifications?

The standard unit is 304 stainless steel inside and outside and runs between +2 and +8°C, with cooling capacity depending on the model. A freezer version runs between -10 and -20°C. A complete request also covers the alarm, doors and options.

What temperature should the unit hold?

The refrigerator version runs between +2 and +8°C and the freezer version between -10 and -20°C. Any cell configuration can be supplied in either version. State the version for each unit in the request and ask the bid for the guaranteed range.

What happens in a power cut?

Standard units restart automatically when power returns. A UPS-backed temperature alarm that stays live during the outage, and emergency cooling, are available as options and should be written into the request. Also ask where the alarm is received inside the facility.

Which options can be added?

Options include multiple independent cooling units, a UPS-backed alarm, a deodorizer, universal door locking and emergency cooling. Cell dimensions can be adjusted. List the options you need as requirements so that every bid prices them.

What should I ask the supplier to provide on delivery?

Ask for the model data sheet, a valid ISO 13485:2016 certificate, and delivery that includes positioning, connection and on-site temperature testing with a written commissioning record. Check the capacities guide first to settle the number of cells.

Related pages

Mortuary refrigerators · Mortuary refrigerators: capacities and fit-out requirements