Whether you're running a care home or clinic, you live with someone HIV positive or you've simply played host to an unfortunate accident, HIV-infected blood spills can pose a serious danger. HIV is primarily transmitted through contact with contaminated body fluids, so it's important to take immediate and careful steps to get the spill cleaned up. If you're not sure how to handle the situation, here's a simple, effective procedure to follow.
1. Put on PPE
Before you do anything else, it's important to protect yourself and those around the spill with PPE. PPE, which stands for personal protective equipment, refers to clothing, helmets, glasses, face shields, respirators and other items designed to protect you from infection.
In the case of an HIV-infected blood spill, you'll want to put on tight-fitting latex gloves and a face mask. As an added precaution, you may also want to put on safety glasses and a disposable gown or scrubs. While you should avoid coming into contact with the infected blood at all costs, PPE will protect you in the event of accidental contact.
2. Contain the spill
Your next step is to contain the spill. If you're in a commercial setting, the best way to do this is to cordon off the area. You can do this with safety cones and warning tape. If you don't have any cordoning supplies on hand, putting up a wet floor sign can also help warn people to stay away.
If the spill has taken place at home, it's best to close the door to the room where the spill happened. This will ensure that no adults, pets or children accidentally come into contact with the blood.
3. Call a biohazard cleaning company
Finally, remember that you should never clean up an HIV-infected blood spill yourself. Instead, call in a biohazard cleaning company. These companies have the technical knowledge, specialised training and appropriate protective equipment necessary to safely and effectively clean up the spill. This will ensure that you don't come into contact with any pathogens that could harm you.
In addition, standard cleaning supplies and techniques are not adequate to effectively clean up an HIV-infected blood spill. When dealing with infectious pathogens, you need to use specialised cleaning fluids that completely remove or destroy the virus. Biohazard cleaning companies will know which disinfectant to use to ensure any viral pathogens are completely killed, all without causing damage to your flooring or furniture.
For more info about biohazard cleaning, contact a local company.
Share28 December 2022
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