Method for operating an item of laboratory equipment cooled by means of a flammable refrigerant

An item of cooled laboratory equipment cooled by means of a flammable refrigerant and comprising:

• a fan configured to ventilate an interior of the item of the cooled laboratory equipment, wherein a power supply for the fan is established by a switch-on process of the item of the cooled laboratory equipment;
• a first control device configured to control the fan in such a way that ventilation of the interior is carried out over a first time period;
• a checking device configured to check, using a first predefined criterion, whether the ventilation was successful over the first time period;
• a second control device configured to control the fan;
• a transfer device configured to transfer a control of the fan to the second control device when the ventilation was successful over the first time period;
• an activation device configured to activate a power supply for at least one further device, which is to be electrically powered, of the item of the cooled laboratory equipment in response to a determination that the fan is, with the aid of a second predefined criterion, being successfully controlled by the second control device;
• wherein:
• the checking device is additionally configured to check, with the aid of the second predefined criterion, whether the fan is being successfully controlled by the second control device, or
• the item of the cooled laboratory equipment comprises a further checking device configured to check, with the aid of the second predefined criterion, whether the fan is being successfully controlled by the second control device.