Online Bloodborne Pathogens Class | PACT C stands for Clean

Making a PACT: Clean

Learning Goals:

After an exposure incident, you must quickly and completely clean the area of blood or blood containing materials. Following the proper procedures may help to prevent you or your coworkers from becoming sick after an incident.

Your exposure control plan:

Your workplace will have its own site-specific exposure control plan. Ask your employer or supervisor where to find a copy of it. Follow this plan when cleaning up after exposure occurs.

Cleaning up:

In order to minimize the risk of exposure it is important to quickly and thoroughly clean up any blood or blood-containing materials.

In some cases, smaller spills can be cleaned with just a disinfectant cleaner and cloth or paper towel. Larger spills will require more effort. In the event of a larger spill, the liquid blood must first be absorbed with an absorbent material, such as a cloth or paper towel. Once the liquid has been removed from the surface, the surface should be cleaned thoroughly with a disinfectant cleaner. If the affected surface is disposable, you may dispose of the surface rather than disinfect it.

As always, your employer’s exposure control plan will have more specific information on how to clean up and dispose of materials.

In general, most exposure control plans will instruct you to:

1. Wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
2. Wipe up large amounts of liquid blood with an absorbent material.
3. Disinfect any and all contaminated work surfaces.
4. Correctly dispose of cleaning materials and PPE in appropriate biohazard bags and biohazard waste containers.