Blood or body substance spillage
Spills should be attended to immediately and protective gloves should be worn. Absorbent material such as paper towels should be used to absorb the bulk of the blood or body substance. These contaminated materials should be disposed of in a sealed, leak-proof waste bag.
Spills kit
A spills kit should be available where there is a risk of blood or body substance spills. A 'spills kit should contain:
- PVC household rubber or disposable latex gloves
- cleaning agents
- disposable absorbent material
- a leak-proof bag
Cleaning the area when finished
When finished, the area should be cleaned with warm water and detergent and then disinfected. Mops and buckets should be rinsed with warm water and detergent and stored dry. Reusable gloves and other protective clothing should be removed and disinfected after cleaning the contaminated area and equipment.
Check section 2.4.2 of the First Aid Advisory Standard 2004 (now known as a Code of Practice) for more information on cleaning the infected area such as dealing with carpets and large spills.
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