New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 8 - HEALTH
Chapter 43G - HOSPITAL LICENSING STANDARDS
Subchapter 13 - HOUSEKEEPING, LAUNDRY, AND SANITATION
Section 8:43G-13.4 - Housekeeping patient services
Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 6, March 18, 2024
(a) All areas, including areas with limited access such as cabinets, drawers, locked medication rooms, and storage areas, shall be kept clean to sight and touch.
(b) All toilets and bathrooms shall be kept clean to sight and touch, in good repair, and free of odors that reflect poor housekeeping practices.
(c) Reusable hand-cleanser dispensers shall be clean inside and out. Disposable dispensers shall be discarded and not refilled.
(d) Floors shall be kept clean.
(e) Hard surfaced floors shall be coated with a slip-resistant floor finish.
(f) Carpeting shall be kept clean and odor free and shall not be frayed, worn, torn, or buckled.
(g) Window and partitioning curtains and drapes shall be kept clean to sight and touch and odor-free.
(h) Walls, ceilings, and vents shall be kept clean to sight and touch and odor-free.
(i) Windows and screens shall be kept clean to sight and touch, and in good repair.
(j) Mattresses, mattress pads and coverings, pillows, bedsprings, and other furnishings shall be properly maintained and kept clean. They shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected upon discharge of each patient.
(k) All equipment and environmental surfaces shall be kept clean to sight and touch.
(l) When areas of the hospital are undergoing renovation or new construction, protective measures shall be taken to contain dust and redirect traffic in patient care areas.
(m) Housekeeping and cleaning supplies shall be selected and approved by the Infection Control Committee. They shall be measured and used correctly and according to manufacturers' written instructions.
(n) Effective and safe controls shall be used to minimize or eliminate the presence of rodents, flies, roaches, and other vermin in the hospital. The premises shall be kept in such condition as to prevent the breeding, harboring, or feeding of vermin. All openings to the outer air shall be effectively protected against the entrance of insects.
(o) Fly strips shall not be located over food preparation and service areas or in patient care areas.
(p) Periodic documented inspections of buildings and grounds shall be performed. Buildings and grounds shall be maintained in a clean and safe condition.
(q) Articles in storage shall be elevated from the floor and away from walls, ceilings, and air vents to facilitate cleaning. Storage units shall be non-porous and cleanable.
(r) All communal toys shall be washed daily or more frequently as needed. No stuffed animals shall be allowed except for personal use.
(s) Plants and flowers shall not be allowed in patient treatment areas (such as operating rooms and procedure rooms) or sterile processing areas.
