Back to: Contaminated Linens & Laundry
Contaminated linens and laundry may contain sharps. Or it may be polluted with bloodborne pathogens, vomit, or urine. It’s essential to be aware of and follow universal precautions to keep yourself safe.
Exposure to OPIM can happen when handling linens and laundry.
The Bloodborne Pathogen Standard requires the following:
Employees must bag and handle contaminated laundry at the location where it was found.
For Hotel Use, the Following Also Apply
Contaminated laundry should not be sorted or rinsed in its location of discovery.
It must be transported to the laundry facility for decontamination in bags or containers labeled or color-coded.
Color coding is enough when following universal precautions for handling soiled laundry. This means that all people in contact with the soiled laundry are aware of the color-coding’s meaning.
For more information – see the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard.