When performing cleaning, laundry, or household tasks, caregivers may encounter bloodborne pathogens.
Blood and bodily fluids, even if not visible, can contaminate surfaces and objects, posing a risk of infection.
Laundry can hide contaminated materials, such as bloody sheets, clothing, or sharp objects.
Wear Gloves: Always wear gloves when handling soiled laundry to protect your skin.
Handle Carefully: Carry laundry by the top edges to avoid hidden contaminants. Never place your hand underneath for support.
Separate Laundry: Keep contaminated laundry separate from clean items.
Remove Gloves and Wash Hands: After handling dirty laundry, remove gloves and wash hands thoroughly before touching clean laundry.
Proper disposal of waste materials is a critical part of infection control.
Three Types of Waste:
Regular Trash: General household waste without contamination.
Safety Tip: Never use your foot or hands to compact trash in the bin to avoid punctures or cuts.
Contaminated Waste: Includes materials that may have come into contact with blood or bodily fluids, such as tissues, gloves, or disposable wipes.
Safety Tip: Keep contaminated waste separate from regular trash. Use color-coded, labeled, or leak-proof bags for disposal.
Sharps: Items such as needles, razors, lancets, or broken glass pose puncture hazards and must be handled with extreme care.
Safety Tip: Never dispose of sharps in regular trash bins. Use puncture-resistant sharps containers with secure lids. Do not attempt to recap needles to avoid accidental injury.
Use disposable and single-service items (e.g., gloves, masks, razors) only once as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Dispose of single-use items immediately after use to prevent reuse or contamination.
Laundry can hide contaminated materials, such as bloody sheets, clothing, or sharp objects.
Precautions to minimize exposure risks:
Wear Gloves: Always wear gloves when handling soiled laundry to protect your skin.
Handle Carefully: Carry laundry by the top edges to avoid hidden contaminants. Never place your hand underneath for support.
Separate Laundry: Keep contaminated laundry separate from clean items.
Remove Gloves and Wash Hands: After handling dirty laundry, remove gloves and wash hands thoroughly before touching clean laundry.
Proper disposal of waste materials is a critical part of infection control.
Three Types of Waste:
Regular Trash: General household waste without contamination.
Safety Tip: Never use your foot or hands to compact trash in the bin to avoid punctures or cuts.
Contaminated Waste: Includes materials that may have come into contact with blood or bodily fluids, such as tissues, gloves, or disposable wipes.
Safety Tip: Keep contaminated waste separate from regular trash. Use color-coded, labeled, or leak-proof bags for disposal.
Sharps: Items such as needles, razors, lancets, or broken glass pose puncture hazards and must be handled with extreme care.
Safety Tip: Never dispose of sharps in regular trash bins. Use puncture-resistant sharps containers with secure lids. Do not attempt to recap needles to avoid accidental injury.
Use disposable and single-service items (e.g., gloves, masks, razors) only once as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Dispose of single-use items immediately after use to prevent reuse or contamination.
- Always treat all bodily fluids as potentially infectious.
- Wear appropriate PPE based on the task and exposure risk.
- Maintain hand hygiene by washing thoroughly after handling contaminated items.
- Report incidents of exposure to your supervisor immediately and seek medical attention if necessary.
