Pennsylvania Code
Title 34 - LABOR AND INDUSTRY
Part I - Department of Labor and Industry
Chapter 47 - MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Subchapter A - BEDDING AND UPHOLSTERY
LABELING
Section 47.27 - Sterilization
Universal Citation: 34 PA Code ยง 47.27
Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
(a) General. All feathers, down, wool, hair and shoddy shall be sterilized and disinfected before being used as filling material.
(b) Secondhand articles. All secondhand mattresses, pillows, bolsters, feather beds, comfortables, cushions and upholstered furniture shall be sterilized and disinfected before being resold. The filling material of such secondhand articles shall not again be used as filling material until after it has been sterilized. All secondhand filling material used in the making or renovating of upholstered furniture shall be sterilized and disinfected before being used.
(c) Methods. The following are approved methods of sterilization:
(1)
Chemical gases. All material to be sterilized by this method
shall be treated with formaldehyde in a moist atmosphere for a period of at
least ten hours. Formaldehyde gas shall be generated from the use of one pint
of formaldehyde solution (37%) to each 1,000 cubic feet of air space or through
the use of any commercial fumigators which generate an equivalent quantity of
gas. The moist atmosphere shall be produced by thorough sprinkling of the floor
of the room with warm water just prior to fumigation. When the sterilizing
vault is located within a building where workmen are employed, provision shall
be made to exhaust the gases directly to the outside air. Both inlet and
exhaust connections shall be equipped with gastight shutoff valves which can be
operated from the outside of the vault. The vault door shall be kept locked
during the process of sterilization. The safest and most convenient way to
release the gas from the formaldehyde solution is to add to the solution 1/2
the amount of potassium permanganate. This boils the solution and releases the
gas. To avoid boiling over, the mixing should be done in a large pail. Any of
the commercial fumigators which use formaldehyde of the proper quantity and
quality will be acceptable when evidence is given that the gas-generating power
of the fumigator is equivalent of gas generated from one pint of formaldehyde
solution (37%) to each 1,000 cubic feet of space.
(2)
Steam. Sterilization by
the use of steam shall conform to the following:
(i) All materials to be sterilized shall be
subjected to treatment by steam under a pressure of 15 pounds maintained for 30
minutes or a pressure of 20 pounds maintained for 20 minutes.
(ii) As an alternate method, two applications
of streaming steam, maintained for a period of one hour each, applied at
intervals of not less than six nor more than 24 hours, may be used.
(iii) A gauge for registering steam pressure,
visible from the outside of the room, shall be provided when steam under
pressure is used, and valved outlets shall be provided near the bottom and the
top of the room when streaming steam is employed.
(3)
Heat. A temperature of
235°F held for a period of 2 hours, within a closed container is considered
satisfactory for proper sterilization. This method is not recommended for
furniture.
(4)
Washing and
drying. Feather pillows will be considered as having been sterilized
when the feathers and ticking are kept intact without opening, and washed by a
commercial laundry method with subsequent drying to remove moisture. Hair
mattresses will be considered as having been sterilized when the hair is
removed from the ticking and washed by a commercial laundry method and
subsequently dried to remove all moisture, and when the ticking is washed and
subsequently dried.
(5)
Spray. Second-hand articles of bedding or upholstered
furniture exposed for sale, lease or auction or delivered for purposes of
reupholstering shall be considered as disinfected under the requirements of
this chapter when the following process is used:
(i) A separate room, well ventilated to the
outside, either naturally or mechanically, shall be provided and isolated from
other parts of the establishment. The material or article shall be thoroughly
sprayed over all surfaces and in all crevices and corners, including the frame
of articles being renovated. A continuous action pressure sprayer shall be used
applying a germicidal solution with insecticide additive, approved by the
Industrial Board; which application shall be in accordance with the
manufacturer's specifications.
(ii)
Such disinfected articles shall not be removed from the said isolated room
prior to a 30-minute interval after the treatment. The spraying operator is
required to use an approved type mask to prevent inhalation of
chemicals.
(6)
Other method. Any other method approved by the
Board.
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