|
Click
on the area for more specific information.

Common
safety and health topics:
Contaminated
Work Environments
|
Hazard
Exposure of housekeeping
staff to bloodborne pathogens through contaminated work environments.
Example
Controls
OSHA requires:
In order to prevent contact with
bloodborne pathogens and other
potentially infectious materials, workplaces must be kept clean and sanitary.
Bloodborne Pathogens Standard [1910.1030(d)(4)(i)].
The employer must:
- Develop and implement a cleaning schedule
that includes appropriate methods of decontamination and
tasks or procedures to be performed.
- This written schedule must be based
on the:
- Location within the
facility.
- Type of surfaces to be
cleaned.
- Type of contamination
present.
- The tasks or procedures to be performed.
|
Appropriate Disinfectants
The CDC states that Hepatitis B Virus can survive for
at least one week in dried blood on environmental surfaces or
contaminated needles and instruments.
|
Hazard
Exposure of housekeeping staff to
bloodborne pathogens by not using an appropriate or approved
disinfectant.
Example Controls
 |
Who determines which disinfectants are
appropriate? Appropriate or approved disinfectants are determined by the EPA
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), who oversees the registration of anti-microbial
products. A list is provided by the National
Anti-Microbial Network that provides the most recent information available from the
EPA on registered anti-microbials. In categories such as: Sterilants, Tuberculocides, (anti) HIV, and (anti) HIB & HIV. The employer must then decide which approved
disinfectant to use for it's particular situation. |
- Fresh solutions of diluted household bleach made up every 24
hours are also considered appropriate for disinfection of
environmental surfaces and for decontamination of sites. Contact
time for bleach is generally considered to be the time it takes
the product to air dry.
- NOTE: Products registered by the
EPA as HIV effective are not necessarily effective against tuberculosis
(tuberculocidal)
or against the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV).
What disinfectants does OSHA recommend?
- OSHA requires that work surfaces
be cleaned with an
"appropriate disinfectant". Appropriate disinfectants
include a diluted bleach solution, and EPA-registered
tuberculocides (List B) or
sterilants (List A), or products registered against HIV/HBV
(List D).
CPL 2-2.44D paragraph (d)(4)(ii).
-
Also see OSHA's
FAQs for bloodborne Pathogens.
"The
particular disinfectant used, as well as the frequency with which it is used, will depend
upon the circumstances in which the housekeeping task occurs."
[OSHA Directive CPL
2.2-44D].
- OSHA has commented on disinfectants in the
following interpretation letters:
|
Contaminated
Equipment
|
Hazard
Exposure to
bloodborne pathogens through
contact with contaminated:
Example
Controls
OSHA requires:
Equipment and working
surfaces: All equipment and
environmental and working surfaces shall be cleaned and decontaminated after contact with
blood or other potentially infectious materials [1910.1030(d)(4)(ii)].
 |
- Contaminated equipment, such as IV poles require
labels or tags in accordance with 1910.1030(g)(1)(i)(H).
The labels must also identify which portions of the equipment are contaminated.
- Some equipment, if grossly contaminated, must be
cleaned prior to decontamination, as some anti-microbial products will not work in
the presence of blood, which interferes with the sterilizing process.
|
Protective Coverings:
- Contaminated protective coverings such as plastic
wrap or foil, shall be removed and replaced as soon as possible, or at the end of a
workshift [1910.1030(d)(4)(ii)(B)].
Reusable Containers:
- All bins, pails, cans, and similar receptacles
intended for reuse which have a reasonable likelihood for becoming contaminated with blood
or other potentially infectious material shall be inspected and decontaminated on a
regularly scheduled basis and cleaned and decontaminated immediately or as soon as
feasible upon visible contamination [1910.1030(d)(4)(ii)(C)].
Glassware:
- Broken glassware may be contaminated, and must not
be picked up directly with hands; use a brush and dustpan or tongs [1910.1030(d)(4)(ii)(D)].
Note: Some care facilities
who rent or lease medical equipment or devices from third parties or
other institutions, need to be aware that these devices may not be
properly cleaned, disinfected and/or sterilized prior to delivery to
the health care facility.
|
Contaminated
Laundry |
Hazard
Exposure to
bloodborne pathogens and other infectious agents from handling contaminated laundry, during rinsing practices of contaminated laundry
in utility rooms. Some facilities
allow employees to rinse contaminated
laundry (i.e., laundry contaminated with blood or (OPIM), Other
Potentially Infectious Materials definition 1901.1030(b) in dirty utility "hopper" rooms, instead of simply
containerizing it and then transporting it to the laundry.
Example Controls
The Bloodborne Pathogen Standard requires:
- bagging and handling of
contaminated laundry, with a minimal amount of agitation, at the location where it
occurred [1910.1030(d)(4)(iv)(A)(2)].
- contaminated laundry shall not be sorted or rinsed in the location of
use [1910.1030(d)(4)(iv)(A)(1)], and
must be
transported to the laundry for decontamination.
Other Recommended Good
Practices:
- Meltaway bags for
the bagging process. Meltaway bags can be thrown directly into washers
without having to unload or remove contaminated laundry from
bags.
For soiled laundry, not
contaminated with blood or OPIM, rinsing in utility rooms is acceptable.
- The ergonomic hazards that can occur with hopper room rinsing, (i.e.,
lifting, reaching, rinsing, and transporting wet heavy laundry)
must also be addressed. An extra lift or transfer device for the
lifting of these materials is likely.
The Laundry
module area addresses additional information for the handling and bagging of contaminated
laundry.
|
Sharps
and Containers
|
Hazard
Exposure of
housekeeping staff to contaminated sharps and containers from:
Example Controls
Implement
work
practice and engineering controls to help prevent exposure to sharps.
OSHA requires:
Sharps
handling:
- Sharps must be properly
disposed of immediately or as soon as
feasible into appropriate containers [1910.1030(d)(4)(iii)(A)(1)].
- Engineering and work practice controls are mentioned in the
Bloodborne Pathogens Module sections: Safer
Needle Devices, and Other
Sharps.
Handling
sharps containers:
- Contaminated sharps must be
properly disposed of immediately
or as soon as feasible in containers that are closable, puncture resistant,
leak-proof and
labeled with the biohazard symbol or color coded in accordance with
[1910.1030(g)(1)(i)].
- Containers must be examined and replaced on a
regular schedule, so they do not become overfilled [1910.1030(d)(2)(ii)],
[1910.1030(d)(4)(iii)(A)(2)].
When moving containers of contaminated sharps or Other Regulated
Wastes, from the area of use, the containers shall be [1910.1030(d)(4)(iii)(A)(3)]:
- Closable, and closed immediately prior to removal
or replacement to prevent spillage or protrusion of contents during handling, storage,
transport, or shipping.
- Placed in a secondary container, if primary
container is contaminated or if leakage is possible.
- Disposed of in accordance with the EPA, and
state and local regulations.
Reusable sharps containers:
- Must meet the same requirements as containers for
disposable sharps, with the exception that they are not required to be
closable. CPL
2-2.44D
- Shall not be opened, emptied or cleaned manually or
in any other manner that would expose employee to the risk of percutaneous injury.
|
Hazardous
Chemicals |
Hazard

|
Exposure to
hazardous chemicals used in cleaning. |
Example Controls
Hazardous Chemicals
Implement a written program which meet the requirements of
the Hazard
Communication Standard (HCS) to provide for worker
training, warning labels, and access to Material Safety Data Sheets
(MSDS).
The Hazard
Communication Standard ensures employee awareness of the
hazardous chemicals they are exposed to in the workplace.
- Agents with any of the
following characteristics are considered hazardous: carcinogens,
corrosives, toxic or highly toxic, irritants, sensitizers, or
target organ effectors Hazard
Communication Standard Appendix
A and chemicals listed in 1910.1000 Table
2.
- Both human and animal
data are to be used in this determination. The Hazard
Communication Standard Appendix
B lists sources of toxicity information.
- There are exceptions to
some of the requirements of the HCS for consumer products that
are subjected to the labeling requirements of the terms as
defined in the Consumer Product Safety Act and the Federal
Hazardous Substances Act [1910.1200(b)(5)(v)].
- For example, OSHA
does not require that MSDS be provided to purchasers of
household consumer products when the products are used in
the workplace in the same manner that a consumer would use
them, i.e.; where the duration and frequency of use (and
therefore exposure) is not greater than what the typical
consumer would experience. This exemption applies to
many of the cleaning products used in nursing homes.
Provide readily available Material
Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all hazardous chemicals.
Workers must be trained in
potential chemical hazards and controls (engineering controls, work
practices, PPE) necessary to prevent hazards in the work area
[1910.1200(h)(3)].
All hazardous chemicals must
be clearly labeled [1910.1200(f)].
Provide
appropriate PPE 1910.132
such as gloves, goggles, splash aprons as appropriate when
handling hazardous cleaning chemicals.
Medical Services and First
Aid 1910.151(c)
Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious
corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or
flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area
for immediate emergency use.
Employers could consider substituting non hazardous
cleaning chemicals for hazardous products.
The Laundry,
Dietary, Pharmacy,
and
Maintenance, Modules also address Hazardous Chemicals.
|
Slips/Falls |
Hazard
Exposure to wet floors, possible slips/falls.
Example Controls
OSHA requires:
|
- Floors shall be maintained in a clean and dry condition, and mats
provided where practicable. Walking/Working Surfaces Standard [1910.22(a)(2)].
Other Recommended Good Practices:
- Implementing a program to provide
safe, immediate, clean-up of
floor spills.
|
 |
- Provide appropriate warning and barricades for wet
floor areas.
|
|
See
Dietary slips/falls
module for more information.
|
Additional Information
|
|