(1) You must handle laundry contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious material (OPIM) as little as possible and with a minimum of agitation.
(2) You must bag contaminated laundry or put it into a container at the location where it was used.
(a) Do not sort or rinse at the location of use.
(b) Place and transport contaminated laundry in bags or containers that are properly labeled or color-coded.
(c) If your facility ships contaminated laundry off-site to a second facility that doesn't use an infection control or isolation system when handling all of their soiled laundry, your facility must place the laundry in red bags or containers that are appropriately labeled.
Note: | If your facility uses an infection control or isolation system in the handling of all soiled laundry, you can use alternative labeling or color-coding so employees recognize that the containers need to be handled using these precautions. |
Reference: | Requirements for appropriate labels and color-coding are found in WAC 296-823-14025 of this chapter. |
(3) You must place and transport wet contaminated laundry that is likely to soak through or leak to the outside, in bags or containers that will prevent such leakage.
Reference: | You need to follow additional requirements to make sure that employees who have contact with contaminated laundry wear protective gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) as appropriate, see WAC 296-823-150, Personal protective equipment. |
[Statutory Authority: RCW
49.17.010,
49.17.040,
49.17.050. WSR 15-23-086, § 296-823-14065, filed 11/17/15, effective 12/18/15. Statutory Authority: RCW
49.17.010,
49.17.040,
49.17.050, and
49.17.060. WSR 04-12-070, § 296-823-14065, filed 6/1/04, effective 9/1/04; WSR 03-09-110, § 296-823-14065, filed 4/22/03, effective 8/1/03.]