Minnesota Administrative Rules

6950.1060 GENERAL CONTROLS.

Subpart 1.

General requirements.

A regulated person:

A.

must not cut, bend, or break contaminated needles;

B.

must minimize exposure to contaminated sharps by actions such as not recapping or removing a contaminated sharp from its base unless the regulated person can demonstrate that no safer alternative is feasible, that the action is required by a specific medical procedure, or that the base is reusable, in which case the recapping or removal must be accomplished through the use of a mechanical device or a one-handed technique;

C.

must minimize splashing, spraying, spattering, and generation of droplets of potentially infectious materials;

D.

must not perform mouth pipetting or suctioning of potentially infectious materials;

E.

must, before caring for a subsequent patient, remove and replace protective coverings used to cover equipment or work surfaces in work areas if the coverings become contaminated;

F.

must remove debris and residue and decontaminate equipment before the equipment is repaired in the clinical practice location or transported to another site for repair or, if the equipment cannot be decontaminated before repair, must label the equipment as potentially contaminated; and

G.

must pick up contaminated objects in such a manner that bare or covered skin does not come into contact with contaminated sharp surfaces.

Subp. 2.

Multiple dose vials.

A.

A disposable needle and/or syringe that is used to withdraw fluid from a multiple dose vial must not be used more than once.

B.

A reusable needle and/or syringe that is used to withdraw fluid from a multiple dose vial must be sterilized before each use.

Subp. 3.

Handwashing.

A regulated person must thoroughly wash hands or other skin surfaces as soon as feasible after hands, other skin surfaces, or gloves are contaminated and in any case prior to treatment of a subsequent patient.

Subp. 4.

Contaminated equipment, instruments, and devices.

A.

All debris and residue from reusable contaminated equipment, instruments, and devices must be completely removed.

B.

Equipment, instruments, and devices which come into contact with a patient's vascular system or other normally sterile areas of the body must be sterilized.

C.

Reusable equipment, instruments, and devices which come into contact with a patient's intact mucous membranes but do not penetrate body surfaces must be sterilized or high-level disinfected.

D.

Reusable equipment, instruments, and devices which come into contact with a patient's intact skin must be decontaminated.

E.

Work surfaces must be decontaminated immediately or as soon as feasible after the surfaces become contaminated and prior to treatment of a subsequent patient.

Subp. 5.

Transfers.

A regulated person must not transfer contaminated disposable sharps or potentially infectious materials from one container to another container.

Subp. 6.

Disposable contaminated sharps.

A regulated person:

A.

must, immediately or as soon as feasible after use and until the sharps are disposed of, store disposable contaminated sharps in containers that are puncture resistant, leakproof on the sides and bottom, closable, and labeled with a biohazard symbol;

B.

must not store or dispose of disposable contaminated sharps in a manner that allows a person to reach by hand into the containers where the sharps are placed;

C.

must place containers for disposable contaminated sharps where the containers are easily accessible to health care workers and as close as is feasible to the immediate area where sharps are used or can reasonably be expected to be found;

D.

must place containers for disposable contaminated sharps where the contents do not impose undue risk of an exposure incident at a clinical practice location;

E.

must maintain containers for disposable contaminated sharps upright throughout use; and

F.

must replace containers for disposable contaminated sharps before they become full.

Subp. 7.

Reusable contaminated sharps.

A regulated person:

A.

must, immediately or as soon as feasible after use and until the sharps are decontaminated, store reusable contaminated sharps in containers that are puncture resistant, leakproof on the sides and bottom, and labeled with a biohazard symbol;

B.

must place containers for reusable contaminated sharps where the containers are easily accessible to health care workers and as close as is feasible to the immediate area where sharps are used or can reasonably be expected to be found;

C.

must place containers for reusable contaminated sharps where the contents do not impose undue risk of an exposure incident at a clinical practice location;

D.

must maintain containers for reusable contaminated sharps upright throughout use; and

E.

must replace containers for reusable contaminated sharps before they become full.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 214.24

History:

21 SR 1668

Published Electronically:

June 11, 2008