In the workplace, housekeeping refers to maintaining a clean, sanitary, and safe environment. Keeping the workplace clean helps prevent injuries and reduce the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
Employers are required to:
- Implement a written cleaning schedule
- Determine the most effective methods to decontaminate each area of the facility
Regulated Waste
Under the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and OSHA define regulated waste as:
- Liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM)
- Contaminated items that would release blood or OPIM if compressed
- Items caked with dried blood or OPIM that could release these materials during handling
- Contaminated sharps
- Pathological and microbiological wastes containing blood or OPIM
Proper housekeeping and handling of regulated waste are critical to maintaining a safe work environment and minimizing occupational exposure.