Environmental Health & Safety Environmental Management

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Pandemic Influenza Cleaning Disinfection

• Environmental Health Safety

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TRAINING TOPICS

• Environmental Management
• Cleaning and Disinfection
• Cleaning Confirmed Cases of Flu
• Use of Bleach
• Cleaning Public Areas
• Clean-up for Blood and Body Fluids
• Contacts

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Environmental Management

• Influenza viruses can persist on both non-porous
  and porous surfaces for several hours
• The secondary spread of infectious virus from an
  environmental surface to other people is
  accomplished primarily via hand transfer
• (i.e. hand contact with contaminated surfaces and
  then touching the eyes, nose, and mouth)

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Environmental Management

• Proper hand washing, respiratory hygiene, and
  cough etiquette are the principal means of
  interrupting transfer of flu virus.

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Spread of Influenza

• Influenza viruses are transmitted primarily by
  exposure to infectious respiratory secretions.
• These large droplets can transmit influenza virus
  to other people within 6 feet from the source
  individual.

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Environmental Surfaces

• These large droplets tend to settle out of the
  air in a relatively short period and eventually
  rest on a variety of environmental surfaces
• Large housekeeping surfaces
• Floors, walls, windows, tables and countertops
• Equipment and appliances
• Surfaces frequently touched by hand
• Door handles, light switches, bathroom and
  kitchen surfaces, phones, computers

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Cleaning vs. Disinfection

• Cleaning
• Removing dirt or other contamination
• Disinfection
• Cleaning a surface or object to eliminate nearly
  all recognized pathogenic organisms that may
  cause infection

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Cleaning and Disinfection

• Cleaning and disinfection can reduce the numbers
  of viruses present on environmental surfaces,
  which can help to minimize hand transfer of
  virus.
• Although pandemic influenza viruses may cause
  severe disease, these viruses are among the least
  resistant to chemical disinfection.
• Therefore, routine cleaning and disinfection
  strategies used during influenza season could be
  applied for the management of pandemic influenza.

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Cleaning and Disinfection

• Cleaning with soap or detergent in water is the
  first step in surface treatment.
• Cleaning will remove debris, such as dust or
  dirt, that could reduce the effectiveness of
  disinfection step that follows.
• There is no indication for cleaning procedures
  that differ from what is done routinely.
• Use any commercially available soap or detergent.
• Water can be cold or warm, or as recommended on
  the label of the cleaning product used.

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Cleaning Suspect, Probable or Confirmed Cases of
Influenza

• Cleaning with soap or detergent is the first step
  in cleaning a surface and MUST be performed
  before disinfection.
• The flu virus is inactivated by a number of
  disinfectants.
• Follow manufacturers recommendations for the
  use/dilution, contact time, and handling of
  disinfectants.

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Cleaning Suspect, Probable or Confirmed Cases of
Influenza

• Patient rooms/areas should be cleaned at least
  daily.
• Special attention should be given to cleaning
  frequently touched surfaces (e.g. television
  controls, doorknobs, microwaves, gaming controls,
  commodes, closets, desks).
• Common areas should be cleaned using standard
  facility cleaning procedure.
• Surfaces frequently touched with hands such as
  sinks, flush handles, doorknobs, railings,
  counters, and vending machines should be added to
  cleaning schedule in all areas.

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Cleaning Suspect, Probable or Confirmed Cases of
Influenza

• Clean and disinfect bathroom surfaces on a daily
  or more regular basis.
• Bleach may be substituted if disinfectants are
  not available (¼ cup of bleach to a gallon of
  clean water).
• Apply to a cleaned surface, preferably with a
  cloth moistened with the bleach solution, and
  allow the surface to remain wet for at least 3-5
  minutes.
• Diluted bleach solutions must be prepared fresh
  before each use.

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Cleaning Suspect, Probable or Confirmed Cases of
Influenza

• Wash linens (such as bed sheets and towels) by
  using laundry soap/detergent in hot water and
  tumble dry on a hot setting.
• Avoid hugging, shaking or fluffing laundry
  before washing it to prevent contaminating
  yourself.
• Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to
  those who are sick do not need to be cleaned
  separately, but importantly these items should
  not be shared without washing thoroughly first.

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Cleaning Suspect, Probable or Confirmed Cases of
Influenza

• During wet cleaning, cleaning solutions and
  equipment become contaminated.
• Clean less contaminated areas first
• Change cleaning solutions, cleaning cloths, and
  mop heads frequently
• (e.g. do not clean sinks toilets with same
  cloth)

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Cleaning Suspect, Probable or Confirmed Cases of
Influenza

• Recommend using one bucket for cleaning solution
  and a separate bucket for rinsing.
• Equipment used for cleaning and disinfecting must
  be cleaned and dried after each use.
• Mop heads should be laundered in hot water daily
  and dried thoroughly before storage or reuse.

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Cleaning Suspect, Probable or Confirmed Cases of
Influenza

• In carpeted areas it is best to use a vacuum
  cleaner with HEPA filtration if available.
• Keep areas around sick individuals free of
  unnecessary supplies and equipment.
• Do not spray rooms with disinfectant.
• This is potentially dangerous (health risk)
• Has no proven disease control benefit

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Use of Bleach

• Bleach, also known as sodium hypochlorite, is an
  effective disinfectant against the flu virus.

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Use of Bleach

• Starting solution Most household bleach
  solutions contain 5 sodium hypochlorite
• Recommended dilution Use 1 part bleach to 9
  parts water for disinfection of surfaces
• Contact time When wiping surfaces with bleach,
  allow a contact time of 3-5 minutes before wiping
  again with a clean wet cloth
• NOTE Surfaces must be cleaned before
  disinfection

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Safety ConsiderationsBleach

• Routine use of bleach should be avoided because
  it is corrosive to metals, damaging to
  environmental surfaces, is inactivated by organic
  matter (e.g. dust or dirt), has no detergent
  (cleaning) benefit and is toxic.
• After metal is cleaned with bleach it is
  necessary to wipe surface with clean wet cloth to
  avoid corrosion.

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Safety ConsiderationsBleach

• If bleach gets into the eyes, immediately rinse
  with water for at least 15 minutes and seek
  medical care or consult a doctor.
• Bleach should NOT be used or mixed with other
  detergents as this reduces its effectiveness and
  can cause chemical reactions.

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Safety ConsiderationsBleach

• Personal protective equipment should be worn when
  applying cleaning products.
• This should include gloves as well as safety
  goggles if splashes or spraying is possible.

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Cleaning Public Areas (e.g. Offices, Dorm Rooms,
Classrooms, Restrooms(Non-Suspect Cases)

• Hand hygiene is most important method to prevent
  transmission of influenza virus.
• Distribute hand washing and personal hygiene
  educational materials.
• If possible distribute hand sanitizer.
• Normal facility cleaning procedures should be
  followed using standard cleaning products.
• Surfaces that are frequently touched with hands
  (e.g. sinks, flush handles, doorknobs, railings
  and counters) should be added to cleaning
  schedule in all areas.

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Cleaning Public Areas (e.g. Offices, Dorm Rooms,
Classrooms, Restrooms(Non-Suspect Cases)

• Student Resident Halls (Dorm Rooms) In addition
  to cleaning floors and other surfaces, special
  attention should be given to frequently touched
  surfaces.
• e.g. television controls, doorknobs, microwaves,
  commodes, closets, desks, vending machines,
  laundry machines
• Laundry Use detergents, laundry additives, and
  appropriate water temperature (routine
  procedures).
• Follow manufacturers instructions for detergent
  and bleach use.

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Cleaning Public Areas (e.g. Offices, Dorm Rooms,
Classrooms, Restrooms(Non-Suspect Cases)

• Individual employees and students may want to
  consider regular cleaning of their phones and
  keyboards, particularly if shared with others or
  used by the public.
• In addition, routine use of hand sanitizer and
  good hand washing techniques are recommended.
• Gloves should be worn when handling waste or
  waste containers at all times.
• Floors should be mopped routinely.
• Mop heads should be laundered in hot water daily
  and dried thoroughly before storage and reuse.

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Spills of Blood or Body Fluids

• Clean and disinfect spills of blood and body
  fluids in accordance with Universal Precautions
  and the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.
• Treat all spills containing blood and body fluids
  as if the spilled material is infectious (using
  appropriate disinfectant and gloves).

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Clean-up Procedures for Blood or Body Fluids

• Alert people in immediate area
• Don appropriate protective equipment
• Cover spill with absorbent material
• Carefully pour fresh 10 bleach solution around
  edges work inward
• Allow 20 min. disinfectant contact time
• Use absorbent material to wipe up spill
• Clean area again with fresh absorbent and
  disinfectant
• Place clean-up materials inside a leak-proof
  biohazard bags for disposal

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CONTACTS

• Contact Environmental Health and Safety for
  guidance before using disinfectants in large
  quantities or in enclosed areas.
• Phone [phone]
• Website http//ehs.sc.edu

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CONTACTS

• Contact Thomson Student Health Center for more
  information regarding cleaning and disinfection
  for pandemic influenza.

http//www.sa.sc.edu/shs/tshc/
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SUMMARY

• Maintain good personal hygiene.
• Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and
  coughing.
• Hand hygiene is the most important method to
  prevent the transmission of influenza virus.
• Routine cleaning of surfaces frequently touched
  by hand can minimize spread of flu.

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QUESTIONS