CH313. Spillages of Blood or Body Fluids
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Spillages of Blood or Body Fluids Policy
{{org_field_name}} recognises that any spillage of body fluids or body waste such as blood, faeces and urine can constitute an infection control hazard if not cleaned up immediately and with due care.
Legal Considerations
This care service will adhere to all relevant legislation, including:
- the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974
- the Public Health Infectious Diseases Regulations 1988
- the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH).
Under the above legislation, and associated codes of practice, {{org_field_name}} understands its legal and moral duty to ensure the health and safety of both staff and people who use the service, and to protect them, wherever practicable, from dangerous substances in the workplace, including the risk of transmission of infections.
Regulation
{{org_field_name}} recognises that it must comply with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 in order to meet its legal requirement for registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
With respect to infection control, the home understands that a range of regulations may apply, including:
- Regulation 12: Safe Care and Treatment — this requires providers to assess the risk of, and prevent, detect and control the spread of, infections, including those that are healthcare associated
- Regulation 15: Premises and Equipment — this states that premises and equipment must be clean, suitable for the purpose for which they are being used, properly used and properly maintained.
Guidance for Providers on Meeting the Regulations, published by the CQC in March 2015, provides guidance on how this service should comply with the regulations.
Guidance
{{org_field_name}} seeks at all times to comply with evidence-based best practice in infection control, particularly with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the Prevention and Control of Infection and Related Guidance published by the Department of Health and Social Care (the Hygiene Code). The home understands that in England compliance with this guidance is an effective way to help it to meet its regulatory requirements with the Care Quality Commission under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
The home understands that the regulations require premises and equipment used for the provision of health or social care to be “clean” and for providers to maintain standards of hygiene “appropriate” for the purposes for which they are being used.
In addition, the home will comply with all other relevant best practice infection control guidance.
For instance, applicable guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) includes:
- CG139: Healthcare-associated Infections: Prevention and Control in Primary and Community Care (updated February 2017)
- PH36: Healthcare-associated Infections: Prevention and Control (November 2011).
Guidance is also available from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) in the form of:
- Infection Prevention and Control (IPC): Resource for Adult Social Care, DHSC
- Prevention and Control of Infection in Care Homes: An Information Resource (2013), DHSC
- HSG220 Health and Safety in Care Homes (2nd edition) (2014), HSE.
Specialist advice and support will be obtained from the local public health protection team and from relevant primary healthcare teams.
Procedure
Staff in {{org_field_name}} should treat every spillage of body fluids or body waste as quickly as possible and as potentially infectious. Appropriate caution should therefore be employed.
For a spillage of blood a 10,000ppm hypochlorite solution should be used as follows:
- put on disposable gloves and apron
- prepare the hypochlorite solution
- cover the spillage with paper towels
- carefully wipe up the spillage with more towels soaked in hypochlorite
- dispose of the waste in a yellow waste bag
- dispose of gloves and apron last
- wash hands in soap and water.
Solid or semi-solid matter (eg faeces) in the spillage should be removed first as this can inhibit the disinfectant. However, hypochlorite should never be used directly on urine spills as this can release irritant chlorine gas. Urine should be cleaned up using towels and the area cleaned with detergent before applying disinfectant.
Mops and buckets should never be used for cleaning up body fluid spills.
Safety Precautions
All staff should be trained in the cleaning of spillages and should always carefully follow the dilution instructions on the disinfectant bottle. They should wear protective gloves and aprons and use disposable wipes wherever possible. Eye protection should also be used if there is a risk of splashing.
Hypochlorite can damage skin, clothing and furnishings, and should be used only with extreme care. Any skin splashes should be washed with running water immediately.
Hypochlorite solutions should never be mixed with other solutions as toxic fumes may occur.
When using chlorine releasing agents, staff should always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. All such procedures should be subject to an appropriate Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) risk assessment.
Furnishings
Soft furnishings (eg carpets) may be damaged by disinfectant products such sodium hypochlorite. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that contaminated carpets that cannot tolerate chemical disinfection should be cleaned using a detergent and steam cleaned. If an item remains soiled, it should be condemned and replaced. However, staff should be sensitive to the ownership of possessions. Furniture that is the property of the people who use the service should be dealt with according to their wishes.
Infection Control Training
Uncleaned spillages represent a considerable hazard in the home and it is, therefore, essential that all staff should be trained to know exactly what to do in the event of a spillage and should know exactly where to find the necessary equipment to clear a spillage up. This is especially essential as cleaning solutions themselves can also present a hazard to staff not trained in their use.
All new staff should be encouraged to read the policy on infection control as part of their induction process. In-house training sessions should be conducted at least annually and all relevant staff should attend.
Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next review date: this policy is reviewed annually (every 12 months). When needed, this policy is also updated in response to changes in legislation, regulation, best practices, or organisational changes.
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