Housekeeping and Waste Disposal
Keeping the worksite clean and sanitary is a necessary part of controlling worker exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Cleaning schedules and decontamination methods depend on the type of surface to be cleaned, the type of soil that is present, and the particular tasks or procedures that are being performed.
General housekeeping guidelines are:
- Clean and decontaminate all equipment and working surfaces after contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials
- Contaminated work surfaces, such as counters, fume hoods, or biosafety cabinets, should be decontaminated with an appropriate disinfectant as follows:
- after completing procedures
- immediately or as soon as feasible if they are heavily contaminated or if there has been a spill of blood or other potentially infectious materials
- at the end of the work shift if the surface may have become contaminated since the last cleaning.
- Inspect and decontaminate bins, pails, cans, and similar receptacles intended for reuse which have a reasonable likelihood for becoming contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious substances on a regularly scheduled basis.
- Clean and decontaminate receptacles immediately or as soon as feasible upon visible contamination.
Handling and Disposing of Broken Glassware
- Do not pick broken glassware up directly with your hands. Instead, use items such as a brush and dust pan, tongs, or forceps to clean it up.
- Sterilize broken glassware that has been visibly contaminated with blood with an approved disinfectant solution before disturbing it or cleaning it up.
- Dispose of decontaminated glassware in an appropriate sharps container. Sharps containers should be closable, puncture-resistant, leak-proof on sides and bottom, and appropriately labeled.
- Dispose of uncontaminated broken glassware in a closable, puncture resistant container such as a cardboard box or coffee can.