Health and safety when cleaning

Transcription

1 Learning Guide Health and safety when cleaning Meet site specific health and safety requirements when working as a cleaner Level 3 10 credits Name: Workplace: Issue 1.0

2 Copyright 2017 Careerforce All rights reserved. Careerforce (Community Support Services ITO Ltd) is the owner of the copyright of this publication. Other than as permitted by the Copyright Act 1994, no part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any other form or by any means, without prior written permission of Careerforce, PO Box , Christchurch, 8144, New Zealand.

3 Contents Introduction... 1 Health and safety at work... 2 Workplace hazard identification... 4 Risk assessment... 5 Hazards isolate, eliminate or minimise... 7 Safety with electrical equipment Safety signs Personal protective equipment Infection prevention Cleaning products and safety Cleaning labels and solutions Dealing with spillages Waste disposal Contaminated waste Reporting incidents, accidents and injuries Glossary Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016

4 Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June 2016

5 Introduction As a cleaner you are responsible for the safety of yourself and others in the place you are cleaning. Someone is going to be staying or working in the area you are cleaning. You are responsible for the health of yourself and other people. This learning guide gives you information about health and safety and the importance of this. How to use your learning guide This learning guide supports your learning and prepares you for the unit standard assessment. There are activities to do and scenarios to guide your learning. This guide relates to the following unit standards: Meet site specific health and safety requirements when working as a cleaner (level 3, 10 credits). This learning guide is yours to keep. Make it your own by writing notes that help you remember things, or where you need to find more information. Follow the tips in the notes column. You may use highlighter pens to show important information and ideas, and think about how this information applies to your work. You might find it helpful to talk to your workmates or supervisor. Complete this learning guide before you start the assessment. What you will learn This topic will help you to: understand your health and safety obligations. do a risk assessment. identify and mitigate hazards. use cleaning equipment and products safely. identify personal protective equipment to use. prevent infection and contamination. dispose of waste appropriately. know what illnesses and conditions prevent you from working. record and report incidents, accidents and injuries. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

6 Health and safety at work As a cleaner you are responsible for the safety of yourself and others in the place you are cleaning. Your safety depends upon you identifying hazards things that could cause harm and reducing the risk of this happening. Some of the hazards and risks are: chemical cleaning products which may give off fumes or cause caustic burns. shocks from electrical equipment. slipping, tripping and/or falling on wet floors, loose mats, and electrical leads. back strain and injury from handling equipment incorrectly or doing the same task frequently or for a long time. problems which occur when a work site is not kept safe and secure. It is important that you are safe and healthy at work. A new law called the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 came into effect on 4 th April It replaces the previous Act Health and Safety in Employment Act The Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) shifts the focus from monitoring and recording health and safety incidents to proactively identifying and managing risks so everyone is safe and healthy. Under the HSWA, everyone is responsible for workplace health and safety. The business, and hence employer, will have the primary duty under the new law to ensure the health and safety of workers and others affected by the work it carries out. Workers must take reasonable care to ensure the health and safety of themselves and others, and to comply with the business s reasonable instructions and policies. Other people who come to the workplace, such as visitors or customers, also have some health and safety duties. It s all about taking responsibility for what you can control. Key words primary duty responsibility The primary duty of care includes, so far as is reasonably practicable: Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

7 providing and maintaining a healthy and safe work environment. providing and maintaining safe plant and structures. providing and maintaining safe systems of work. ensuring the safe use, handling and storage of plant, structures and substances. providing adequate facilities for the welfare at work of workers in carrying out work. providing any information, training, instruction, or supervision that is necessary to protect all people from risks to their health and safety. monitoring the health of workers and the conditions at the workplace for the purpose of preventing injury or illness. You have the right to stop work or refuse to carry out work if you think that this would expose you (or others) to a serious health or safety risk. Managers should do regular inspections of the workplace to check that health and safety procedures are being followed. Health and safety representation is one of the most effective ways to improve health and safety in the workplace. The HSWA requires a business to implement effective participation practices to allow workers to contribute to health and safety. This could include electing Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs), or setting up a Health and Safety Committee (HSC). Jane is preparing cleaning agents in the cleaner s storeroom. Her safety glasses keep steaming up so that she can t see. She takes them off. Some cleaning agents splash into her eye. Jane did not follow the Act because she did not wear the protective clothing (the safety glasses) supplied by her employer. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

8 Workplace hazard identification By law, all companies/employers in New Zealand must identify all the potential work hazards there are at their worksites. A hazard is anything that could cause an accident or hurt you, or the public, in your workplace. For each hazard, you need to think about who might be affected by it. This may include employees, residents, patients, workers and the public. All companies/employers must keep a list of all potential hazards. Hazards must be identified: in chemical use and storage. in the tasks a cleaner does. For example, tasks could include cleaning toilets. in all the processes that happen. For example, a cleaner will follow a process when removing stains. All emergency precautions must be marked on a workplace plan. For example: first aid boxes, emergency exit, evacuation assembly points. If you need to report any Health and Safety issues you must: report only the facts. keep information clear and accurate. Any health and safety issues or problems in a workplace should be eliminated, or minimised. The Act focusses on eliminating or minimising risks to reduce the possibility of someone having an accident. Maria washes the floors at work every day. When she is washing the floors she always puts out signs to warn people that the floor is slippery when wet. One day, Maria forgets to put out the signs. A man comes into the office to deliver some boxes. He slips and breaks his arm. Maria, because of her inaction when she forgot to put out the signs, caused the delivery man to have an accident. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

9 Risk assessment Hazards and risks go together. A hazard is anything that could cause harm. Risk is the chance of something happening. Your safety depends on identifying hazards and controlling the risk as much as possible. Risk assessment is an organised way of looking at work activities to see how safe they are. An example of a risk assessment is what you do before you begin every stain removal or carpet cleaning job. In a risk assessment you write down every possible hazard. For each hazard, you need to think about who might be affected by it. In some risk assessments, you will be asked to assess the risk. You say what the chance is that something will go wrong. It is rated on how likely it is to happen: rare, unlikely, likely, almost certain. You may also say how bad it will be if it does go wrong (the severity). You must state what can be done to control the risk and who is responsible for doing this. There are primary and secondary risks. A primary risk is the first result of the risk eg a person could fall on a wet floor. A secondary risk occurs as a result of the primary risk eg the person may get an injury from falling. You need to think about what could be done to mitigate (reduce) each hazard. For example, vibration hazard includes whole-body vibration from scrubbers and polishers. After 20 minutes using a vibrating machine, take a break of 5 minutes or do something else as a preventative measure against getting repetitive strain injury (RSI). Key words hazard risk risk assessment primary risk secondary risk mitigate anything that could cause harm. the chance of something happening. an organised way of looking at work activities to see how safe they are the first result of the risk occurs as a result of the primary risk reduce the hazard Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

10 Write Identify and write in some potential hazards for a task that you do. For each hazard, rate it on how likely it is that this risk would occur: rare, unlikely, likely, almost certain. You must state what can be done to control this risk and who is responsible for doing this. An example has been done for you. Risk assessment plan Activity Potential hazard Risk occurrence: Rare, unlikely, likely, certain For example: When mopping the floor, it gets wet and slippery. The primary risk is people could fall on the slippery floor. The secondary risk is an injury due to falling. Likely Risk controls What do you do? Dry the floor as much as possible. Always use warning signs until the floor is completely dry. Person responsible You, the cleaner. Complete the sentences below with the words risk or hazard. is something that may cause of an accident. is something that may happen if a is not dealt with. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

11 Hazards isolate, eliminate or minimise Before you start work, look for any hazards. The Act focusses on eliminating or minimising risks to reduce the possibility of someone having an accident. You may need to isolate a risk, for example, put a barrier across a spill, until the risk can be minimised or eliminated. Isolate a hazard You can isolate the hazard until more action can be taken. This means that you separate the hazard from people so they will not be injured or hurt. Example: You find that the vacuum cleaner has a frayed cord. It is too dangerous to use the vacuum cleaner. You need to isolate the hazard. Procedure: 1 Report the hazard and put a fault label on the vacuum cleaner. 2 Put the vacuum cleaner back in the cleaners cupboard in a separate place from the other vacuum cleaners. Result: Nobody will use the vacuum cleaner. The hazard is isolated. Eliminate a hazard Sometimes, you can eliminate a hazard. This means that you remove the hazard and this is always the safest choice. Example: You break a glass bottle at work. The glass could cut somebody. You need to throw away the glass safely to eliminate the hazard. Procedure: 3 You use a dustpan to sweep up all the glass. 4 You wrap the glass in paper. 5 You write GLASS on the outside of the paper and put it in the rubbish bin. Result: Nobody will cut themselves as the hazard is eliminated. Key words eliminating isolating minimising getting rid of the hazard protecting people from the hazard with barriers/signs reducing the hazard Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

12 Minimise a hazard Sometimes it is not possible to eliminate a hazard. All you can do is minimise the hazard. This means you have to work safely and carefully to reduce the hazard. Example: You vacuum the floors every day. The vacuum cleaner is noisy. Noise can damage your hearing. You need to minimise the hazard. Procedure: You wear ear plugs when you are vacuuming. Result: Wearing ear plugs will reduce the possibility of noise damaging your hearing. The hazard is minimised. Managing hazards Take action to manage the hazard. Isolate the hazard. Can the hazard be eliminated? If it can t be eliminated, then it must be minimised. Here is an example. You may see the abbreviations I, E, M being used, especially on forms, to represent isolating, eliminating and minimising hazards. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

13 For any task that you do, you need assess the hazards and risks and think about what could be done to mitigate (reduce) each hazard. For each hazard, you need to identify if it can be mitigated either isolated, eliminated, or minimised. Then you write down the actions that will be taken during the job to manage the hazard and any further steps that may need to be taken. Here is an example of a risk assessment table for stain removal at a client s office. The hazards are listed in order of risk. Hazard Location Isolate Eliminate Minimize Slip or fall Any areas where carpet meets hardfloor surfaces. Use walk-on walkoff mats. Prevent public access to site. Use carpet/hard floor type wand to remove overspray ASAP. Or use hand towels/mop to immediately dry hard floors. Place Caution wet floor signage. Trip and fall Any area between equipment and operator or machine and outlet where hoses/leads placed. Run hoses/leads along walls as much as possible. Prevent public access to site. Place Watch my hoses signage. Or tape/cover leads near doorways. Hazardous chemicals Vehicle shelving or carpet spotting kit. Spotting Kit should have child proof lid. Additionally ventilation (such as air movers) used to circulate air and remove fumes. Vehicle should be locked at all times or chemicals kept in a Lock Box. All bottles must be labelled correctly. Appropriate SDS available in vehicle. First aid kit (with eye bath) in vehicle. Fire extinguisher available in vehicle. Appropriate PPE available in vehicle. Electric shock Power leads/equipment on damp surfaces. Use RCD s. Dry the surface, if possible. A power lead may be able to be run a different way, on a dry surface. Ensure 6 monthly electrical certification of all electrical equipment done. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

14 Safety with electrical equipment Always check your equipment before you begin work. Electrical equipment has its own specific safety checks. AS /04/09 Check the Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC). If it is current, it is OK to use the equipment. An ESC is valid for six months. If the ESC is out-of-date, you must not use the equipment. Check the cord of the machine and also extension cords. Uncoil them fully. Do not use if the cord is cut or damaged or frayed. An extension lead must also have an electrical safety certificate. Any connections must be pushed firmly together. The plug s three prongs must be straight not bent. The motor must be quiet when turned on. Do not use If the motor is very noisy or smelly. Check vacuum and solution hoses. Do not use if the hoses or fittings are leaking. When finished, turn the machine off, turn the power off at the wall, and then remove the plug from the power socket. Safety tips include: keep the plug and cord away from heat sources. check the battery has enough charge and you know where to find a spare battery. never use the equipment if your hands are wet or you are in water. use the nearest power point so the cord is not too long. Place the cords on the ground away from where people are walking and keep the cord behind the machine. When using electrical equipment that is on wheels, ensure the wheels move freely and the tyres are not loose or flat. If they have brakes, make sure the brakes work and that you can lock and unlock them. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

15 If an item is faulty, do not use it. Label it as faulty and put to one side. Example of a fault label Hold means do not use Name of equipment The fault (what s wrong) Your name and date Red indicates hazard or danger Hold DO NOT USE Vacuum cleaner Plug is broken 20/2/15 Safety signs Cleaning can put people at risk. You may need to put out a sign before you start cleaning to warn people of a risk, like a wet floor. Place the sign where it is seen, but not in the way. Check that the sign is clean and easy to read. Check that the hinge works. A yellow triangle with a black border with a picture or words inside is a caution or warning sign. It warns you about danger. It means look out, or watch out, or be careful! You may see caustic warning signs on bottles of cleaning agents. If a cleaning agent is caustic, it can burn, eat away or destroy your skin and body tissues if it is spilt on you or another person. Some signs tell you what personal protective equipment you must wear. You may also need to use a cordon or barrier as well to keep people away from a worksite. Examples of safety signs Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

16 Personal protective equipment Protect yourself by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE creates a barrier between you and any infection. You may have to wear different equipment each time you clean, depending on the situation. You may have a uniform to wear. Make sure it is clean and in good order not ripped or stained. You are representing your employer and how you look reflects on them and yourself. If you are not sure what PPE you need to wear, ask your supervisor. Wear your uniform with pride Think about It s not just cleaning. It s about a healthy environment. Ear protection Wear earmuffs or ear plugs when you are using noisy equipment like polishers. Protective clothing Protective clothing like aprons help create a barrier between you and any infection, protecting your skin, reducing exposure to chemicals and reducing chances of developing some skin allergies. Protective clothing prevents you carrying infections on your clothes from one place to another place. They will also prevent your clothes getting dirty or contaminated when you might be cleaning or at risk of being splashed by fluids or cleaning products. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

17 Aprons or gowns Protective clothing like aprons helps to create a barrier between you and any infection. Goggles or glasses Wearing goggles or glasses can protect the mucous membranes of the eyes from dust, splashes of cleaning products and chemicals, and splashes of body fluids that could carry infections. If you use re-useable goggles, clean them thoroughly after use. Goggles Masks Masks help protect the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth from fumes from cleaning chemicals or from body fluids. Masks can also provide some protection from passing on or catching airborne infections, for example, a cold or flu. Hats Hats protect your hair from possible contamination from body fluids or infection by head lice. They will also prevent hair falling on to food or cleaned surfaces. Footwear Wear closed footwear that does not slip on wet floors. Closed footwear covers all parts of your feet. You must not wear open footwear like jandals. Strong footwear means your feet will be protected and you will be able to move and balance better Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

18 Gloves or disposable gloves You should always wear gloves when cleaning. Here are some useful things to remember about wearing gloves. Always wash your hands with soap before you put on gloves. Always check the gloves for cuts or damage before you put them on. Do not use them if they are torn or damaged. If you use disposable gloves, they are for one use only. Change them between cleaning tasks and before touching clean items and surfaces. Always wash your hands after you remove your old gloves and before you put on clean gloves. If using disposable gloves, always throw them away after use. Do it Following the steps below, have a go at removing your gloves safely. How to remove gloves safely Turn the first glove inside out as you take it off and crumple it into the other gloved hand. Slide your fingers inside the remaining glove and peel the second glove off over the first one, which bundles them together. All the contaminated surfaces of the gloves are now safe from being touched. Dispose of the gloves into a waste bag. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

19 Infection prevention Infection prevention is about doing things that will stop germs and infections from being spread (carried) from one person to another. Cleaners have a responsibility to make sure that everything they clean is free from contamination and infection. Good hygiene procedures helps cleaners to protect themselves (and other people, including their friends and family) from getting ill. There are common precautions you can take to prevent infection being passed on. Frequently wash your hands, especially before touching your face, eyes, mouth or nose. Dry your hands well as wet hands more easily spread germs. Use gloves when handling anything that may be infected. Disinfect items that may be contaminated. Don t share personal items such as cups, cutlery, hair brushes or towels. Avoid direct contact with an infected person. Use protective clothing such as gloves for contact with infected skin and body fluids. Use masks if you, or a person you are working with, has a respiratory illness like a cold or flu. Use a disposable tissue for nose blowing and for covering coughs or sneezes. Throw away the tissue and wash your hands. Never touch your eyes, mouth or nose with dirty hands or gloves as you may catch an infection. Cover broken skin and cuts with an adhesive dressing to prevent infection entering your body. The workplace you are in will have specific precautions around the prevention and control of infection. Make sure you find out what they are. Key words contamination cross-contamination something that is dirty, unsafe, unhealthy, poisonous or dangerous spreading of germs or infection from one person to another, from one thing to another thing, or from one area to another area Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

20 The workplace you are in will have requirements around your being healthy, and conditions which may prevent you from working, and illnesses that you have to report. In a health environment illnesses that will exclude you from working include flu like symptoms, shingles, conjunctivitis, whooping cough, mumps, measles, chicken pox, scabies, tuberculosis (Tb), an upset stomach (diarrhoea/vomiting), skin infections such as head lice, rashes, blisters, cold sores, impetigo (school sores). Illnesses which could exclude a person from working in a food based industry may include hepatitis A, giardia, salmonella, campylobacter, cryptosporidium, shigella, typhoid, cholera, yersinia. Illnesses which may prevent a person from coming to work in a food area while they are ill could include influenza, any communicable disease (such as mumps, measles, and chicken pox), flu like symptoms, an upset stomach (diarrhoea/vomiting). Conditions which may prevent a person from coming to work in a food area could include constant coughing, skin infections such as rashes, blisters, boils, cold sores, impetigo (school sores) and injuries such as deep cuts to the hand. You must record and report incidents, accidents and injuries. Your workplace will have a procedure and form for doing this. Remember to report only the facts. keep information clear and accurate. Write What health issues would keep you from work? What illnesses do you have to report? Where do you obtain the documents to record and report incidents, accidents and injuries? Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

21 Cleaning products and safety Cleaning products (sometimes called agents) are usually liquids, powders or sprays that are used to remove dirt, dust, stains and bad smells from surfaces. There are different cleaning products for different jobs. Your company will specify which cleaning products to use for which job. You should only use each cleaning product in the way your workplace has told you to. It is helpful to know the advantages and risks of the different cleaning products you use. When cleaning food areas you will need to use cleaning products such as detergents which are safe to use around food. You may be required to disinfect, sterilise and sanitise items such as work surfaces and cutting boards. Disinfecting is useful against a number of bacterial and viral microorganisms. Sanitising is using heat or chemicals to destroy any dangerous bacteria that might remain after cleaning. Often the same products may be used to disinfect and to sanitise; the difference is in the strength of the solution and/or the amount of time the solution is left in contact with the surface. If you are not sure what cleaning product to use, check with your supervisor. Remember to read the label on the container and follow the instructions carefully. After using the product, wipe the container and make sure the label can be read. You must use the cleaning products as specified by the manufacturer s directions and according to your organisation s requirements. Your company may also have standard technical and operating procedures for you to follow. You will need to complete cleaning tasks within the timeframe expected by your organisation. Think about What cleaning products do you use? Cleaner s trolley and cleaning products Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

22 Cleaning labels and solutions Each bottle of cleaning product must have a label. Do not use it if it does not have a label. The label has a lot of information. You will need to read: the name and type of cleaning product. the directions, which tells you how to use the cleaning product. how to use the product safely. Cleaning label example This explains how much to use per quantity of water. The name or brand is in large letters. This is the type of cleaning product. It is used for cleaning floors and surfaces. This tells you where you can use the cleaning product. Each product also has a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) which specifies similar information, but in more detail. You need to read the basic information you need to know every day: the health and safety information which tells you how to keep safe, including PPE to wear and how to clean up if there is a spill. first aid information - what to do if there is an accident. how the product is stored. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

23 SDS example four pages overlapped Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

24 Safe use of cleaning solutions Wear your PPE when preparing a cleaning solution. Make sure there is good lighting and ventilation. You may need to wear eye protection and a mask as well. Prepare cleaning solution according to the manufacturer s instructions. This means that you must follow the instructions on the bottle of cleaning product or follow the SDS recommendations. Always put the water in the bucket first, and then add the cleaning product. Microfibre mops may have water or cleaning solution in their cylinder which reduces water use and chemical use. Safe disposal of soiled solutions Dirty water and cleaning solutions should be disposed of down a cleaners sink or down the toilet. Do not empty cleaning solutions down storm water drains or in the gutter. Using microfiber clothes and mops reduces the use of water and thus reduces the amount of waste water. Always dispose of rubbish and dirty water as you are meant to and in a way that keeps the environment safe from harm. Think about Where do you dispose of soiled solutions? Key words Safety Data Sheet (SDS) a safety data sheet has all the information about the product Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

25 Dealing with spillages If you have a spill of liquid, for example, water or cleaning product on the floor, this can be hazardous. To stop people from slipping and falling you should: warn people that there is a spill. put up a warning sign or cordon or barrier. clean up the spill. remove the warning sign when the floor is dry. Dealing with chemical spills Some cleaning products have chemicals that are poisonous. Store all chemicals safely. Heavy containers should be on the bottom shelf. All hazardous and toxic chemicals should be stored in a safe and secure cabinet. Flammable cleaning products should be stored separately from other cleaning products. Some cleaning chemicals can cause breathing problems and other serious medical problems. It is essential to have good ventilation if you are using cleaning agents, especially if you have a chemical spill. Do not mix two cleaning agents together as this can be very dangerous. Cleaning products have a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) which specifies safety information and first aid measures. If you do have a chemical spill: make sure you are safe, wearing or putting on your PPE. stop the spill if possible, by righting the container, shutting the valve, putting on the lid and stopping or containing any leak from spreading. cordon off the area. ventilate the area, by opening windows and doors. consult the SDS for the product. wipe up the spillage using paper towels or absorbent materials. safely dispose of the spilt chemical and materials used to clean up. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

26 Waste disposal It is important to dispose of (throw away) certain things, such as rubbish and contaminated items, in an approved way. You need to be very careful when handling all rubbish because it could be infected with germs that could make you ill. Always wear your PPE, including gloves. The disposal methods given here are good general advice. You will also need to check your organisation s policies and procedures for any more detailed advice or procedures that you are expected to follow. Your supervisor will tell you how often you must take out or remove the rubbish bins or bags. You must follow your organisation s requirements for disposal. Rubbish should be disposed of with consideration for the environment. When you are carrying rubbish bags you should: Never carry the bag on your back. Never carry the bag next to your body. Always hold the bag away from your body. Contaminated waste Contaminated waste is rubbish that has something on it that could make you ill. The rubbish could be contaminated with chemicals or poisons, germs, or infected human products, for example, blood, urine, saliva or faeces. Examples of contaminated waste include: a tissue that someone blew their nose on. used toilet paper. a used water bottle or half-eaten food. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

27 Contaminated waste is sometimes called hazardous waste, which includes other waste as well. Hazardous waste examples include: sharps, like needles. ampoules glass containers which have had medicine in them. broken glass. human products like urine, faeces, blood and body fluids. used drips and catheters. In hospitals, yellow is often used to show that something is hazardous or contaminated. Hazardous waste bags are usually yellow. Contaminated linen bags are yellow. This is called colour coding. Contaminated and hazardous wastes must be put in yellow colour coded bags. They must not be put in with general waste or rubbish. Always put the hazardous waste bags out for collection in the correct place. In hospitals, red is used to show that something is infectious. Infectious waste bags are usually red. Linen bags for blood soaked linen are red. Biohazards Biohazards are biological substances which may carry infection. This includes medical waste, human products and toxins. This may also be called clinical waste or contaminated waste or hazardous waste. Always change your gloves after handling contaminated waste. Key words hazardous waste includes sharps, broken glass, human products and contaminated waste like used drips Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

28 Handling sharps safely If you find sharps, for example, needle, syringe with needle, ampoule, when you are cleaning, tell your supervisor or one of the nursing staff immediately. Usually a nurse or orderly will handle sharps. If you have to handle sharps, put on gloves. Use something to pick up the sharps, for example, tongs or forceps. Do not use your bare hands. Do not throw sharps in an ordinary rubbish bin. Place the sharps in the special sharps container, and throw the gloves away in a hazardous waste (yellow) bag. Sharps container Anything sharp enough to penetrate skin, for example, a needle, has to be disposed of in a yellow safe sharps container. If a syringe or a needle breaks your skin it is called a needle stick injury. Needle stick injuries can be serious because you may be in danger of getting an infection if the syringe is contaminated with infected human products. If you are injured by a needle or other sharp item, you should: remove gloves if you are wearing them. allow the injury to bleed for a few seconds to remove any contaminants. rinse the area thoroughly with running water. clean the injury with soap and water, alcohol rub or a skin disinfectant such as iodine if it is available. If you have a needle stick injury you should report it immediately. Tell your supervisor, the facility manager or an infection control person. Seek medical advice as you may need a blood test. Key words needle stick a syringe or a needle breaks your skin Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

29 Reporting incidents, accidents and injuries Report incidents, accidents and injuries immediately to your supervisor, and follow your organisation s policies and procedures which may include going to your doctor. Fill in an accident, incident or report form, as required by your organisation. Talk Talk to your employer about your organisation s forms for reporting incidents and/or accidents. Find out where the forms are kept and how you fill in the forms. Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June

30 Glossary Key words contaminated waste contamination cross-contamination eliminating hazard hazardous waste isolating minimising mitigate needle stick primary duty primary risk risk risk assessment Safety Data Sheet (SDS) secondary risk rubbish that has something on it that could make you ill something that is dirty, unsafe, unhealthy, poisonous or dangerous the spreading of germs or infection from one person to another person, from one thing to another thing, or from one area to another area getting rid of the hazard anything that could cause harm includes sharps, broken glass, human products and contaminated waste like used drips protecting people from the hazard with barriers/signs reducing the hazard reduce the hazard a syringe or a needle breaks your skin responsibility the first result of the risk the chance of something happening. an organised way of looking at work activities to see how safe they are a safety data sheet has all the information about the product occurs as a result of the primary risk Health and safety when cleaning (US 29388) Learning Guide Careerforce Issue 1.0 June