South Dakota Administrative Rules
Title 44 - Department of Health
Article 44:75 - Hospital, specialized Hospital critical access Hospital, and rural emergency Hospital facilities
Chapter 44:75:02 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Section 44:75:02:09 - Linen
Current through Register Vol. 51, page 43, September 23, 2024
The supply of bed linen and towels must equal two times the licensed capacity of the facility. The facility shall develop and implement written procedures for the storage and handling of soiled and clean linens. The facility shall contract with a commercial laundry service or the laundry service of another licensed health care facility for all common use linens if laundry services are not provided on the premises. A facility providing laundry services shall have adequate space and equipment for the safe and effective operation of the laundry service.
Commingled patients' personal clothing, common-use linen, any isolation clothing, and housekeeping items shall be processed by methods that ensure disinfection. The facility must process laundry following the laundry equipment and cleaning agent recommendations. If hot water is used for disinfection, minimum water temperatures supplied for laundry purposes shall be one hundred sixty degrees Fahrenheit or seventy-one degrees centigrade). If chlorine bleach is added to the laundry process following the manufacturer's direction, the minimum hot water temperatures supplied for laundry purposes may be reduced to one hundred twenty degrees Fahrenheit forty-nine degrees centigrade). The facility may wash commingled patients' personal clothing, common-use linen, and any isolation clothing in water temperatures less than one hundred twenty degrees Fahrenheit if:
(1) The supplier of the chemical specifies low-temperature wash formulas in writing for the machines used in the facility;
(2) Charts providing specific information concerning the formulas to be used for each machine are posted in an area accessible to personnel;
(3) The facility ensures-that laundry personnel receive in-service training by the chemical supplier on a routine basis, regarding chemical usage and monitoring of wash operations; and
(4) The facility ensures personnel monitor chemical usage and wash water temperatures at least monthly to ensure conformance with the chemical supplier's instructions.
Any patient's personal clothing that is not commingled may be processed according to manufacturer's recommendations using water temperatures and detergent in quantity as recommended by the garment or detergent manufacturer. The facility shall have distinct areas for the storage and handling of clean and soiled linens. Those areas used for the storage and handling of soiled linens shall be negatively pressurized. The facility shall establish procedures for the handling and processing of contaminated linens. Soiled linen shall be placed in closed containers prior to transportation. Clean linens must be transported in containers used exclusively for clean linens, must be kept covered with dust covers at all times while in transit or in hallways, and must be stored in areas designated exclusively for this purpose. The department must review and approve any written request for any modification of the requirements of this section before any changes are made.
The facility must sort and process environmental cleaning and disinfection cleaning cloths, microfiber cloths, mop heads, and other textiles in loads separate from healthcare textiles.
General Authority: SDCL 34-12-13(1)(4).
Law Implemented: SDCL 34-12-13(1)(4).
