Spillages and Protocols Policy

This policy is to inform and instruct staff of what actions to take on the discovery or involvement with a spillage of biologically hazardous material (blood, body fluids or micro-organisms) or water / soft drinks spillage.

All areas within the school are covered by this policy.

Blood and body fluids (e.g. faeces, vomit, saliva, urine, nasal and eye discharge) may contain viruses or bacteria capable of causing disease. It is therefore vital to protect both yourself and others from the risk of cross infection. In order to minimise the risk of transmission of infection both staff and students should practice good personal hygiene and be aware of the procedure for dealing with body spillages.

This document is to be used in conjunction with:

• The school’s Health and Safety Policy

• The school’s Biological Risk Assessment

• School Health and Safety Procedure – Biological Hazards (including infected sharps)

• School Health and Safety Guidance – Biological and Infection Control (including sharps)

• Public Health England – Health protection in schools and other childcare facilities

• Public Health England – Health Protection for schools, nurseries and other childcare facilities

• HSE - Blood-borne viruses in the workplace (INDG342)

• HSE information sheet – Slips and Trips: The importance of floor cleaning (Slips and Trips 2)

• Staff dealing with spillages must be suitably trained in removing them safely. Typically, this is limited to members of the Facilities Team.

• Other staff, present at the incident, can place absorbent towels / blue roll over the affected area and allow the spill to absorb. Contact is not to be made with the actual spillage. The area then needs to be cordoned off until cleaning is undertaken by the Facilities Team.

• If the spillage is extensive the area should be considered for closing until it has been cleaned safely and correctly.

• Ensure that wounds or skin lesions are covered with waterproof dressings.

• Personal protective equipment such as aprons and gloves must be worn for any direct contact with actual or potential blood, body fluids or chemicals.

• Cordon off the affected area by using caution signs / appropriate barriers. Ventilate the area if safe to do so.

• Staff dealing with spillages must be suitably trained in removing them safely. Typically, this is limited to members of the Facilities Team.

• Refer to COSHH assessment(s) and safety data sheets where necessary.

• Personal protective equipment such as aprons and gloves must be worn. These are available from the Facilities Team Office.

• Ensure that wounds or skin lesions are covered with waterproof dressings.

• If splashing is likely to occur while cleaning up, other protective clothing should be worn e.g. to protect the eyes.

• If the spillage is extensive, disposable plastic overshoes or rubber boots may be necessary.

• Under no circumstances should contaminated waste be removed by using a vacuum cleaner, wet suction, cleaner or carpet cleaner.

• If there is broken glass present, it is essential that the fragments are not gathered up by hand either before or after treatment with disinfectant. Bunches of paper towels, pieces of card or a plastic dustpan should be used to remove the fragments to a sharps container without risk of sharps injury.

• The Facilities Team have a continuous supply of absorbent powder. Restock codes are available at the end of this policy. After approximately 90 seconds the spillage will have solidified and can be swept into a suitable container for removal via double bagging in a black bin bag. Remove bag(s) to external bin. The area can be disinfected using a general-purpose cleaner.

• Solid matter (vomit and / or faeces) can be removed using a dustpan or shovel that then can be appropriately decontaminated or cardboard that can be disposed of.

• Once the contamination is removed, clean the room / area with neutral detergent and warm water, and allow to dry. Ensure that the cleaned area does not pose any hazards such as slip or trips. Leave caution signs / appropriate barriers in place until the floor is completely dry. When floor is dry remove signs / barrier and return to cleaning cupboard.

• To decontaminate items such as shovels and dust pans the recommended level of hypochlorite solution is 1000ppm (0.1%) chlorine (bleach) solution: 0.1% is 1 part of bleach in 1000 parts of water; this is equivalent to 10ml bleach to 10 litres of water. Mop heads should not be reused.

• Human hygiene waste such as vomit, sputum and faeces which is generated in schools is generally assumed not to be clinical waste as the risk of infection is no greater than that for domestic waste. However, those carrying out the risk assessment may have local knowledge which means they cannot make this assumption i.e. outbreak.

• The area should be washed with water and disinfectant and dry mopped. A wet suction cleaner may be necessary if a large area is to be dried.

• Area to be reopened for pedestrian traffic when the floor surface is completely dry. Remove signs / barriers and return to storage.

• In open areas such as playground and roadways, the spillage should be hosed down with large amounts of water.

• Where carpets and soft furnishings are likely to become contaminated, most chemical disinfectants are not suitable for routine use. Detergent cleaning should be followed by steam cleaning if the materials will allow this.

• Hand hygiene must occur after the removal of protective equipment.

• All staff must take individual responsibility for ensuring that their work environment is clear and free from spillage. If you spill some liquid or see a small spillage, clean it up immediately by placing absorbent towels / blue roll over the affected area and allow the spill to absorb. Ensure that the surface is dry and cordon off if required.

• For larger spillages, the services of the Facilities Team may be required. Consideration should be given to the need to close the area off whilst cleaning takes place.

• For small spillages, spot cleaning may be employed – using a paper towel or blue roll to remove small areas of water-based contamination. This avoids spreading the contamination or increasing the slip risk.

• For greasy spills, detergent will be required.

• For larger areas of spillage, mopping may be employed - though this is usually only effective on smoother floors because it only skims the surface of the floor, regardless of the effort used. Even a well-wrung mop will leave a thin film of water which is enough to create a slip risk on a smooth floor. Subsequent use of a dry mop will reduce the drying time but will not eliminate the slip risk. Where smooth floors are mopped, cleaning staff will take care to make sure the floor is left to dry completely.

• For very large areas of spillage, scrubber-drier machines will be employed- on greasy floors a detergent will be used to remove and hold the oil or grease in the water. The operator will be trained in the correct use of the machine, for example using the appropriate level of water for the floor surface, to reduce leaking and water trails.

To avoid cross-contamination within the building, the use of colour coding of equipment such as cleaning cloths, dish cloths, disposable cloths, cleaning sponges, mop heads and handles, wringer buckets, brooms, hand brushes, protective gloves and dust pans offers a practical solution. Although the use of colour coded cleaning equipment is not a legal requirement it is considered to be a good practice to adopt.

The following colours are those used by the Facilities Team and other relevant members of Tanfield School staff. Tanfield School employs a cleaning contractor and they may use colours different to these:

Blue                Generally used when cleaning areas which are considered to present a low risk of infection. All equipment can be used to clean classrooms, corridors, offices and receptions etc.

Green             All kitchen areas within the school should use green equipment. The other relevant colours should still be adopted within the confines of a kitchen in areas where food is not prepared.

Red                 To be used in areas considered to be of a high risk in relation to the spread of infection, notably sanitary fittings within toilets and washrooms.

Yellow            Should be used in washroom areas for cleaning all fixtures, fittings and surfaces that are not considered critical in terms of infection. These include worktops, pipework, towel dispensers, sinks, basins, wet changing and showers.

Cloths used in food preparation areas should be kept separate from those used in toilet areas.

Gloves, when used, should be changed when changing areas of cleaning. This will ensure that bacteria is not allowed to contaminate equipment used in other areas.

Any buckets used should be thoroughly washed, rinsed and dried before storing inverted.

All reusable cleaning cloths of different colours should be cleaned at the end of use and stored appropriately (separately).

All reusable mops should be thoroughly cleaned at the end of use, rinsed, wrung out and hung up to dry.

Do not leave mops or cloths steeping in cleaning solutions.

Steps must be taken to ensure that equipment used for cleaning of potentially hazardous matter not be used for any other purpose than this.

Approved chemicals are available from Greenham. These chemicals are covered by DCC risk assessments.

            Response Super Absorbent Biohazard Powder: 255008

            Dusmo Medico: Z06174938

            Duo Max General Purpose Anti-Bacterial Cleaner: 507059

            Good Sense Breakdown: 870036

Disposable protective clothing is available from Thomas Owen.

            Disposable white aprons: TE000799

            Disposable vinyl gloves: A900

            Disposable masks: P251

If further advice is required, please contact Emma Short:

03000 269 538

07786 027 302

emma.short@durham.gov.uk