Decontamination and Sterilization - ORS

Organic material including blood and soil may inactivate chemical disinfectants and protect microorganisms from the decontamination process. The actual physical ... DivisionofOccupationalHealthandSafety DOHS DOHSHomeHealthandwellness AirQualityBloodPressureCPR/AEDEmployeeAssistanceProgramErgonomics BackHealthChairsEquipmentExercisesandStretchesPreventionProgramPolicy,EvaluationsandTraining NursingMothersOccupationalMedicalService CPR/AEDTrainingandAEDLocationsContactOccupationalMedicalServiceFAQs:OccupationalMedicalServiceFoiltheFluHandicapParkingRequestMedicalEmergenciesPreplacementEvaluationsForEmployeesReleaseofMedicalRecordsReturningtoWorkEvaluationSummerStudentEvaluationsSurveillanceProgramsTravelandRelatedAccommodationsWork-RelatedInjuriesandIllnesses PestManagement Safety NIHCOVID-19SafetyPlan ExecutiveSummaryCOVIDAssessment&TestingVaccineRequirementsPersonalSafetyGuidanceReturntoPhysicalWorkspaceGeneralTravelGuidanceCommonAreaGuidanceSpecificWorkspaceGuidanceNIHCentralizedServiceLocationsAppendix AsbestosProgramFood&Water DrinkingWaterSafetyFoodSafety Incidents&Accidents 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NIHCOVID-19SafetyPlanExecutiveSummaryCOVIDAssessment&TestingVaccineRequirementsPersonalSafetyGuidanceReturntoPhysicalWorkspaceGeneralTravelGuidanceCommonAreaGuidanceSpecificWorkspaceGuidanceNIHCentralizedServiceLocationsAppendix AsbestosProgramFood&Water Food&WaterDrinkingWaterSafetyFoodSafety Incidents&Accidents Incidents&AccidentsAnimalInjuryReportingInjuryandIllnessInvestigationMedicalEmergenciesOccupationalMedicalServiceOSHARecordableInjuriesSpillinLaboratoryUnsafeorUnhealthfulConditionsReporting Laboratory LaboratoryBiologicalSafetyBiologicalMaterialsShipping(Imports/Exports)ChemicalMonitoringChemicalSafetyLaboratoryClearanceLaserSafetyPI-DashboardPrimaryBarrierEquipmentSafeLaboratoryPracticesandProceduresSafetyandHealthSpecialistsSurveysandInspections Non-IonizingRadiationOxygenMonitoringDevicesPersonalProtectiveEquipmentPrograms PersonalProtectiveEquipmentProgramsHearingConservationLaboratoryCoatsRespiratoryProtectionSafetyGlassesSafetyShoes PortableHighEfficiencyAirFiltrationDeviceTestProgramPublicationsSafetyandHealthCommittees SafetyandHealthCommitteesICSafetyandHealthCommitteeInstitutionalBiosafetyCommitteeOccupationalSafetyandHealthCommittee Training TrainingBasicLifeSupport–FullCourseBasicLifeSupport–RenewalCourseCPR/AEDRegistration(IntranetOnly)EmployeeAssistanceProgramWorkshopsErgonomicsHHSSupervisorTraining(IntranetOnly)LaboratorySafetyTrainingLayResponderCPR/AEDCourseNationalBiosafetyandBiocontainmentTrainingProgramStudentLaboratorySafetyTraining Workplace WorkplaceEmployeeHealthProtectionandPromotionFederalResourcesUnsafeorUnhealthfulConditionsReporting YourRole YourRoleContractorsDesign,ConstructionandMaintenanceWorkersHealthcareWorkersandHospitalStaff(IntranetOnly)LaboratoryWorkersOfficeWorkersPersonnelWorkingWithAnimalsPrincipalInvestigatorsSupervisorsandManagers Events EventsCommunityOutreachInFocus!SafeWorkplacesForAllPhotoContest InFocus!SafeWorkplacesForAllPhotoContestFAQsFullContestRulesPrizesandWinnerSelectionWinningPhotos NIHMissionFirst!SafetyAlwaysAward NIHMissionFirst!SafetyAlwaysAwardNominateAColleague2017Winners2015Winners2014Winners2013Winners2012Winners Safety,HealthandWellnessDaySpringIntoWellness ContactUs ContactUsAboutDOHSComplementarySafetyHealthandWellnessSupportContactInfoFAQsSafetyandHealthSpecialistsSafetyListservSafetyTalkbackfortheWorkplaceBox DOHS Safety Laboratory BiologicalSafety DecontaminationandSterilization Safety DecontaminationandSterilization PageContentThefirstprerequisiteforanydecontaminationprocedureisadequatepre-cleaningofthedeviceorsurfacetobedecontaminated.Organicmaterialincludingbloodandsoilmayinactivatechemicaldisinfectantsandprotectmicroorganismsfromthedecontaminationprocess.Theactualphysicalremovalofmicroorganismsbyscrubbingisoftenasimportantastheantimicrobialeffectofthecleaningagentused.Selectachemicaldisinfectantthatislabeledasapprovedforuseasa"hospitaldisinfectant"andistuberculocidalwhenusedatrecommendeddilutions.Cellsof M.tuberculosisareamongthemostresistantvegetativemicroorganismsknownandconstituteaformidablechallengetoachemicaldisinfectant.Adisinfectantthatistuberculocidalcanbeexpectedtocontrolmanytypesoflessresistantpathogens.Hospitaldisinfectantssuitablefordecontaminatingthesurfacesofscientificequipmentincludethefollowinggenericformulations:iodophors;chlorinesolutions;alcohol(isopropyl,ethyl);phenoliccompoundsandquaternaryammoniumcompounds.Wescodyne(aniodophor)andsodiumhypochlorite(bleach)areavailableintheNIHself-servicestores.ConsiderationsChooseadisinfectantthatisnotcorrosiveorotherwisedestructivetotheitemsundergoingdecontamination. Readandfollowthemanufacturer'slabeldirectionsconcerningtherecommendeddisinfectantconcentration,contacttimeandmethodofapplication.Weartheappropriategloves,labcoatandeyeprotectionwheneverusingchemicaldisinfectants.Determineifthedesignoftheequipmentoritsconstructionmaterialswillhaveaneffectonthedecontaminationprocess.Crevices,jointsandporesconstitutebarrierstothepenetrationofliquiddisinfectants.Prolongedcontacttimemayberequiredtoaccomplishdecontamination,dependingontheintricacyofthedesignandtheamountofsoilpresent.Selectanappropriatedisinfectantcontacttime.Thelongertheexposuretothechemicalagent,themorelikelythatallpertinentmicroorganismswillbeinactivated.Acontacttimeof10minutesmaynotbeadequatetodisinfectanitem,especiallyonethatisdifficulttocleanbecauseofnarrowchannelsorotherareasthatcanpotentiallyharbormicroorganisms.Longerexposuretimes,i.e.20to30minutes,maybenecessary.Thisisespeciallytruewhenhigh-leveldisinfectionistobeachieved. Table1MethodsofDisinfection Table2LevelsofGermicidalActionForguidanceregardingthetreatmentofequipmentcontaminatedwithamixtureofchemical,radiologicalandbiologicalhazards,contactyour SafetyandHealthSpecialist. Table1.MethodsofDisinfection Thislistofchemicalgermicidescontainsgenericformulations. Othercommerciallyavailableformulationscanalsobeconsideredforuse. MethodConsiderationorLevelActivityHeat:MoistHeat(Autoclave) a75-100°CHighLiquids: bIodophors30-50mg.Offreeiodineperliter;70-150mgofavailableiodineperliterIntermediate cChlorinesolutions500-5000mgoffreechlorineperliterIntermediate dAlcohol(ethyl;isopropyl)70%IntermediateIodineandalcohol0.5%+70%IntermediatePhenoliccompounds,aqueous0.5%-3%IntermediateQuarternaryammoniumcompounds,aqueous0.1-0.2%LowFootnotes: a.Forsterilization,seetherecommendationofthemanufacturerforexposuretimesandconditions.Fordisinfection,exposuretimesshouldbe20to30min.orlonger. b.OnlythoseiodophorsregisteredwiththeEPAashard-surfacedisinfectantsshouldbeused.Theinstructionsofthemanufacturerregardingproperusedilutionandproductstabilityshouldbecloselyfollowed.Antisepticiodophorsarenotsuitableforuseasdisinfectants. c.A10%chlorinesolutionmadefreshdailyisthecurrentlyrecommendedtodecontaminatemostbiologicalagentsusedinthelaboratory. d.Volatileproductssuchasalcoholsrequirecarefulattentiontoensurepropercontacttimeduringadisinfectionprotocol. Tablesadaptedfrom:Favero,M.S.(1985),Sterilization,disinfection,andantisepsisinthehospital,pp.130and133.InManualofClinicalMicrobiology,4thedition,ASM,Washington,D.C. NOTE:TheNIHdoes notrecommendorsupporttheuseofultraviolet(UV)radiationinlaboratories.AlthoughUViseffectiveagainstmostmicrobes,itrequiresanunderstandingofitsabilitiesandlimitations.The253.7-nmwavelengthemittedbythegermicidallamphaslimitedpenetratingpowerandisprimarilyeffectiveagainstunprotectedmicrobesonexposedsurfacesorintheair.Itdoesnotpenetratesoilordust.Theintensityordestructivepowerdecreasesbythesquareofthedistancefromthelamp.Thus,exposuretimeisalwaysrelatedtothedistance.Theintensityofthelampdiminishesovertime.ThisrequiresperiodicmonitoringwithaUVmeter.Theintensityofthelampisdrasticallyaffectedbytheaccumulationofdustanddirtonit.Thebulbsrequirefrequentmaintenance.Inaddition,therearesafetyhazardsassociatedwiththeuseofUVthatrequirepersonalprotectiveequipmentorothersafetydevicestoprotectusers.UVlightsinbiosafetycabinetsrequirethecabinetbedecontaminatedpriortoperformingmaintenanceonthesystem. Pastexperiencehasproventhatgoodtechniquesinconductingexperimentsarehighlyeffectiveinpreventingcontamination.TheuseofUVradiationdoesnoteliminatethenecessityforusinggoodpracticesandprocedures. Table2.LevelsofGermicidalAction -EfficacyAgainst  BacteriaVirusesActionLevelVegetativeBacteriaTuberclebacillusSporesFungiLipidandMediumSizesNonlipidandSmallHigh b++ c++++Intermediate++ d+++ e+Low+--+/-+/--Footnotes: a.Includesasexualsporesbutnotnecessarilychlamydosporesorsexualspores. b.(+)Killingeffectcanbeexpectedwhenthenormal-useconcentrationsofchemicaldisinfectantsorpasteurizationareproperlyemployed;(-)littleornokillingeffect. c.Onlywithextendedexposuretimesarehigh-leveldisinfectantscapableofactualsterilization. d.Someintermediate-leveldisinfectants,e.g.,iodophors,formaldehyde,tinctureofiodine,andchlorinecompounds,canbeexpectedtoexhibitsomesporicidalaction. e.Someintermediate-leveldisinfectants,e.g.,alcoholsandphenoliccompounds,mayhavelimitedvirucidalactivity. Tablesadaptedfrom:Favero,M.S.(1985),Sterilization,disinfection,andantisepsisinthehospital,pp.130and133.InManualofClinicalMicrobiology,4thedition,ASM,Washington,D.C.