How to Cleanup Blood Spills as per OSHA

Does your company want to make absolutely sure that they are being compliant with OSHA around the clock? Blood spills can happen in a moment’s notice in a hospital or other healthcare facility. We will walk you through the exact steps to take to cleanup blood spills the next time one happens.

We at Safetec love to use acronyms to help remember everything there is for safety. To help remember the steps for efficiently containing and removing a bloodborne pathogens spill with the Safetec Universal Precaution Compliance Kit remember the acronym PCRDDS. Please note that all personnel must be trained in the use of the spill kit before attempting to do this on their own. The training portion is critical in the use of effectively using the kit and cleaning the spill.

So what is the first step in cleaning up spills? Prevention.  In order to prevent direct contact with the spill during the cleanup process and minimize the risk for infection, disposable protective clothing must be worn. This includes gloves, combo mask/safety shield and protective apron.

The next step in the process is Contain & Remove.  To efficiently contain and remove the spill, a solidifying agent (Safetec® Red Z®) and scoop/scraper are to be used and the spill contents are to be disposed in a red biohazard bag. Our Red Bio Hazard bags come in two sizes and are clearly labeled.

Once you have contained and removed the spill, you can now work on Disinfecting the contaminated surface. We recommend using the (SaniZide Plus®) germicidal wipe. We have to mention that this process is critical for preventing any further contamination.

The fourth step in the process is Dispose and discard the germicidal wipe, gloves, safety shield and apron into red biohazard bag and dispose of bag as required by your local, state and federal regulations.

Lastly you will need to Sanitize your hands and use soap and water once the immediate cleanup is complete.

Do you have any questions about how the Safetec product line can help cleanup blood spills in your facility? Call us now and we would be more than happy to help you become compliant. Reach our team at 1-800-456-7077.

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References:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention. Accessed March 2014 from: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/bloodbornepathogens/index.html

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2011) OSHA Fact Sheet: OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. Accessed March 2014 from: https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_BloodborneFacts/bbfact01.pdf Ippolito, D. & Sierra G. (2014, March). How to Prepare for & Manage an Aggressive OSHA Inspection [Webinar].