Policy Text
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MJ/RCCC
OPERATIONS ORDER
Infectious Waste Disposal
The purpose of this Order is to standardize the procedures used f o r d i s p o s a l o f
infectious waste at the Main Jail and at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center
(RCCC). The handling of infectious waste shall comply with federal, st ate, and local
regulations. I. Infectious Waste
A. Infectious waste includes any waste material or items contam inated with
biological material that poses a biohazard contamination risk d ue to
volume, toxicity, and infectiousnes s including, but are not lim ited to:
1. Laboratory wastes, including cultures of pathogenic agents.
2. Pathological specimens, incl uding human or animal tissues, b lood
elements, urine, feces, and other body fluids.
3. Equipment, instruments, ut ensils, containers and other dispo sable
materials which may be contaminated incident to exposure to pathogenic agents.
4. Any other material or equipm ent which in the determination o f
Correctional Health Services presents a danger of infection because it may reasonably be considered contaminated with pathogenic agents.
5. “Sharps”, which are defined as objects with rigid corners, e dges,
points, or protuberances capable of cutting or piercing. These include, but are not limited to, needles, blades, and broken gl ass.
II. Protective Equipment
A. All staff and inmate workers handling infectious waste shall u s e
disposable protective equipment to minimize exposure while hand ling
infectious waste. Such equipmen t includes, but is not limited t o:
1. Disposable gloves, protective suit, and shoes.
2. Disposable face mas ks and respirators.
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MJ/RCCC III. Solid Infectious Waste
A. Health services staff will s upply plastic bags for the colle ction of infectious
waste. Whenever applicable, the prisoner who is deemed to be in fectious
will be supplied with plastic b ags for the express purpose of c ollecting his
or her infectious waste materia ls including, but not limited to disposable
facial tissues, gloves, masks, wound dressings, and other items , including
disposable eating utensils which may be contaminated with solid or liquid
infectious waste.
B. If the infectious prisoner i s unable to assist in the collec tion of infectious
waste, health services staff ma y collect the infectious waste.
C. Infectious waste generated by health services staff will be disposed of in
red bags marked for infe ctious waste disposal.
D. Solid infectious waste, once collected in a red bag, will be placed in
another red bag for disposal. The waste material will not be pl aced in any
other occupied area, and will be pl aced only in an area specifi cally
designated for infectious waste.
E. Contaminated clothing and/or b edding will be placed in a lar ge “Solu-Safe”
bag by the infectious prisoner. The infectious clothing and/or bedding will
be double bagged in red bags and plac ed in an area specifically
designated for infectious waste.
1. Wet clothing and bedding will d issolve the “Solu-Safe” bag, and
must be wrapped in towels or other dry linen to minimize the ha zard
of contamination.
2. An outer bag will always be us ed to contain the contaminated
clothing/bedding and t he “Solu-Safe” bag.
3. Solid wastes should be removed from the contaminated clothin g
and bedding as much as is feasible and disposed of in appropria te
infectious waste containers.
F. Sharps will always be disposed of in leak proof, rigid, punc ture resistant
containers with secure lids, provided by health services staff. These
containers will be red in color and will be labeled as “Infecti ous Waste” or
“Biohazard” and will always be treated as infectious waste.
G. The Cleaning Crew will periodically remove the infectious wa ste and
infectious clothing from the ar ea designated for infectious was te.
1. The infectious waste will be disposed of in the containers
specifically assigned for infectious waste at each facility.
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MJ/RCCC 2. The infectious clothing wil l be delivered to Laundry Service s, and
will be decontaminated for future u s e o r d i s p o s e d o f a s s o l i d
infectious waste, at the discr etion of the Laundry Officer.
H. Any contaminated medical equipm ent which is reusable will be cleaned
and decontaminated by the health services staff.
IV. Liquid Infectious Waste
A. Liquid and semisolid infectious waste such as urine, vomit, feces, blood
and other contaminated liquids should be disposed of by flushin g down a
toilet or by utilizing a sink and drain area designated for was te liquids.
1. Hand washing sinks will not be used for infectious waste disposal.
2. Sinks and drains used for disposal of infectious waste will be
decontaminated using procedures in this order or other
decontamination procedur es approved by health services staff.
V. Decontamination
A.