• Handle contaminated laundry as little as possible with minimal agitation.

• Bag contaminated laundry at the location of use. Do not sort or rinse laundry at the location where it was used [1910.1030(d)(4)(iv)(A)(1)].

• Place wet contaminated laundry in leak-proof, and color-coded or labeled containers, at the location where it was used [1910.1030(d)(4)(iv)(A)(2)].
  
  
• Whenever contaminated laundry is wet and presents a reasonable likelihood of soak-through of or leakage from the bag or container, the laundry shall be placed and transported in bags or containers which prevent soak-through and/or leakage of fluids to the exterior [1910.1030(d)(4)(iv)(A)(3)].

• Contaminated laundry must be placed and transported in bags or containers labeled with the biohazard symbol or put in red bags in accordance with 1910.1030(g)(1)(i).
  
  
  • In a facility that utilizes universal precautions in the handling of all soiled laundry-alternative labeling or color-coding is sufficient if it permits all employees to recognize the containers as requiring compliance with universal precautions [1910.1030(d)(4)(iv)(A)(2)].
    
    
  • Use red bags or bags marked with the biohazard symbol, if the facility where items are laundered does not use universal precautions for all laundry [1910.1030(d)(4)(iv)(C)].
    
    
• For more information on labeling requirements see:
  
  
  • Labeling Requirements Table. (Taken from Bloodborne Pathogens and Long-term Care Workers OSHA document 3131).

• Contaminated laundry bags should not be held close to the body or squeezed when transporting to avoid punctures from improperly discarded syringes.

• Normal laundry cycles should be used according to the washer and detergent manufacturer's recommendations.
  
  
  • Guidelines for Laundry in Health Care Facilities. CDC/OhASIS (1997).

• Employers must ensure that employees who have contact with contaminated laundry wear appropriate PPE as discussed in the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard 1910.1030(d)(4)(iv)(B) when handling and/or sorting contaminated laundry.

• Employers must ensure employees wear appropriate PPE such as gloves, gowns, face shields, masks, when sorting contaminated laundry [1910.1030(d)(4)(iv)(B)].

• The use of thick utility gloves when sorting contaminated laundry may provide workers with additional protection.
  
  
  • Utility gloves may be decontaminated for re-use if the integrity of the glove is not compromised.
    
    
  • However, they must be discarded if they are cracked, peeling, torn, punctured, exhibit other signs of deterioration, or when their ability to function as a barrier is compromised [1910.1030(d)(3)(ix)(C)].

• Disposable (single use gloves shall not be washed or decontaminated for re-use [1910.1030(d)(3)(ix)(B)].

• Contaminated needles and sharps shall not be bent, recapped or removed. No shearing or breaking permitted [1910.1030(d)(2)(vii)(A)].

• Sharps Containerization:
  
  
  • Immediately or as soon as feasible, contaminated sharps need to be discarded in appropriate containers [1901.1030(d)(4)(iii)(A)(1)].
    
    
  • Needle containers need to be available, and in close proximity to areas where needles may be found, including laundries [1910.1030(d)(4)(iii)(A)(2)].

• Unlabeled chemicals.
  
  
• Splattering when pouring from larger container to smaller container.
  
  
• Soaps and detergents may cause allergic reactions and dermatitis.
  
  
• Broken skin from soap or detergent irritation may provide an avenue for infection or injury if exposed to chemical or biological hazards.
  
  
• Never mix together cleaning solutions that contain ammonia and chlorine. When mixed together these chemicals form a deadly gas.

• Employers must provide appropriate gloves when exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) exists [1910.1030 Bloodborne Pathogens Standard].

• Alternatives shall be readily accessible to those employees who are allergic to the gloves normally provided [1910.1030(d)(iii)].

Occupational exposure to high noise levels from loud machinery in the laundry area can lead to occupationally induced hearing loss, hearing impairment, hypertension, elevated blood pressure levels and other health hazards.

• Use proper lifting techniques:
  
  
  • Avoid lifting bulky or awkwardly weighted objects.
    
    
  • Avoid lifting/reaching or working above shoulder height.
    
    
  • Avoid awkward postures, such as twisting while lifting.
    
    
  • Lift items close to the body.
    
    
  • Limit the weight of the item to be lifted.

• Use well maintained carts with large, low rolling, low resistance wheels, that can roll easily over mixed flooring as well as gaps between elevators and hallways.

• Use mechanical aids to reduce the need to lift, such as:
  
  
  • Spring-Loaded Laundry Platforms to help lift wet heavy laundry, and keep laundry at a comfortable uniform work level.

• Washers that automatically dump their loads into baskets so workers don't have to reach in and pull out wet heavy laundry manually.

• "Housekeeping." The employer shall control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials and residues so that they do not contribute to a fire emergency. The housekeeping procedures shall be included in the written fire prevention plan [1910.38(b)(3)].

• The employer shall apprise employees of the fire hazards of the materials and processes to which they are exposed [1910.38(b)(4)(i)].
  
  
• The employer shall review with each employee upon initial assignment those parts of the fire prevention plan which the employee must know to protect the employee in the event of an emergency [1910.38(b)(4)(ii)].

• "Maintenance." The employer shall regularly and properly maintain, according to established procedures, equipment and systems installed on heat producing equipment to prevent accidental ignition of combustible materials. The maintenance procedures shall be included in the written fire prevention plan [1910.38(b)(5)].

Employee exposure to slips/trips/falls from the wet floors found in the laundry area.