Biohazards

Cleaning

Workers doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms or similar facilities may come across bodily fluids such as blood, vomit or faeces.

Reduce the risk of contact by:

• using personal protective equipment such as disposable waterproof gloves
• using disposable towels to clean up all visible material
• discarding towels in a waterproof garbage bag
• using garbage bags or marked laundry bags to separate soiled items
• disinfecting the area with dilute bleach solution
• not compressing garbage or reaching into garbage containers with bare hands
• not holding garbage against your body during handling
• washing hands.

If you come into contact or are exposed, you must:

• seek first aid treatment immediately
• report the incident to your supervisor
• seek further medical attention, preferably within two hours.

Used needles

Workers can be exposed to infected blood and body fluids if sharp contaminated objects puncture their skin.

Reduce the risk of contact by:

• not picking up 'sharps' unless you have been trained on how to do so safely (e.g. never picking a syringe from the needle end or never try to put the cap back on a needle)
• using tongs or pliers to pick up needles or other contaminated sharp objects
• placing needles in a disposal container made for sharps needle end first and contacting the relevant authorities for information on disposal
• taking the disposal container to the syringe/needle and putting the disposal container on a flat surface
• wearing disposable waterproof gloves
• looking before you clean as needles have been found on top of picture frames, under mattresses and in other unexpected places
• not lifting garbage bags by hand from underneath as they may contain sharp, contaminated objects
• washing hands.