OSHA's position is that EPA-registered tuberculocidal disinfectants, diluted bleach solutions and EPA-registered disinfectants that are labeled as effective against both HIV and HBV as well as Sterilants/High-Level Disinfectants cleared by the FDA, meet the requirement in the standard and are "appropriate" ...
Clean and disinfect all equipment and work surfaces soiled by blood or body fluids. 1 gallon of water (1 part bleach per 9 parts water, or about a 10% solution) and allow it to stand for at least 10 minutes.
For a robust defense against bloodborne pathogens, rely on bleach, ethanol, isopropanol, hydrogen peroxide, and quats.
Decontamination can be achieved by use of the following methods: Use of household bleach 1:10 ratio, (1/4 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water) Commercial disinfectants may be available in your work environment, check the label for virus killing capability. Autoclave may be available in lab environments on campus.
Recommended disinfectant solutions
Hypochlorite (bleach) solution The recommended level of 1:10 bleach solution is made by adding 1 part household bleach (5.25% hypochlorite) to 10 parts water (or ½ cup of bleach to 4 ½ cups of water, or 125 ml of bleach to 1 litre of water).
Baking soda can be used in your laundry routine to brighten and neutralize odors and to help treat blood stains. Make a paste using equal parts of baking soda and cold water. Gently blot the stain with the mixture and soak in cold water.
EPA-registered tuberculocidal disinfectants and solutions of 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) diluted between 1:10 and 1:100 with water are considered appropriate for this purpose.
If you are stuck by a needle or other sharp or get blood or other potentially infectious materials in your eyes, nose, mouth, or on broken skin, immediately flood the exposed area with water and clean any wound with soap and water or a skin disinfectant if available.
Severe Surface Decontamination
Surfaces that are heavily contaminated with mold, feces, or body tissues should be disin- fected using the following household bleach solution: 11/2 cups bleach. 1 gallon of water. heavy deposits of contaminants and allow to stand for 3 minutes.
After cleaning, the biohazardous waste isn't just ordinary trash—it needs special handling. Carefully place contaminated materials into a specially marked biohazard bag and seal it properly. If there's a chance the bag could puncture or tear, place it into a secondary rigid container for additional protection.
The Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) and CDC's recommended standard precautions both include personal protective equipment, such as gloves, gowns, masks, eye protection (e.g., goggles), and face shields, to protect workers from exposure to infectious diseases.
Household bleach, diluted 1 to 10 with water is still one of the best, most effective disinfectants available. Dilute bleach kills bloodborne pathogens in 1-2 minutes.
There are two types of leukocytes: phagocytes and lymphocytes. Phagocytes engulf the intruders, break them down and chew them up. Lymphocytes are further broken down into two more types. The B lymphocytes (or B-cells) create antibodies and alert the T lymphocytes (or T-cells) to kill the pathogens.
Methods of decontamination include isolation of contaminants, physical removal, and chemical removal.
Use sharps devices with safety features whenever possible. Use personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves and face shields, every time there is a potential for exposure to blood or body fluids. Clean work surfaces with germicidal products.
Antiseptic agents in dermatologic surgery commonly include chlorhexidine, povidone-iodine, chloroxylenol, isopropyl alcohol, hexachlorophene, benzalkonium chloride, and hydrogen peroxide.
The first level is cleaning, which involves the act of removing organic material such as dirt and other impurities, including blood, feces, etc. that may be contaminating the object you're decontaminating using water and detergent as well as friction when possible.
Wipe up the spill as much as possible with paper towel or other absorbent material. Gently pour bleach solution – 1 part bleach to 9 parts water – onto all contaminated areas. Let bleach solution remain on contaminated area for 20 minutes and then wipe up remaining bleach solution.
Antibiotics and Antivirals
They either kill bacteria or stop them from reproducing, allowing the body's natural defenses to eliminate the pathogens. Used properly, antibiotics can save lives.
The Bloodborne Pathogen Standard:
Requires the use of Universal Precautions, an approach to infection control in which workers treat all human blood and certain human body fluids as if they are known to be infectious, to protect against pathogens.
Standard precautions include maintaining personal hygiene and using personal protective equipment (PPE), engineering controls, work practice controls, and proper equipment cleaning and spill cleanup procedures.
Blood culture contamination can lead to clinical misinterpretation and inappropriate treatment followed by unnecessary costs. Therefore, skin antiseptics to prevent blood culture contamination are important. Povidone-iodine has been used widely as a skin disinfectant performing blood culture.