Texas Administrative Code
Title 26 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Part 1 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
Chapter 509 - FREESTANDING EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES
Subchapter C - OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Section 509.58 - Linen and Laundry Services
Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) The facility shall adopt, implement, and enforce policies to provide sufficient clean linen to ensure the comfort of the patient.
(b) For purposes of this subsection, contaminated linen is linen that has been soiled with blood or other potentially infectious materials or may contain sharps. Other potentially infectious materials means:
(c) The facility, whether it operates its own laundry or uses a commercial service, shall ensure that employees of a facility involved in transporting, processing, or otherwise handling clean or soiled linen shall be given initial and follow-up in-service training to ensure a safe product for patients and to safeguard employees in their work.
(d) Employees who have contact with contaminated linen shall wear gloves and other appropriate personal protective equipment.
(e) Clean linen shall be handled, transported, and stored by methods that will ensure its cleanliness.
(f) Contaminated linen shall be handled as little as possible and with a minimum of agitation.
(g) All linen placed in chutes shall be bagged.
(h) If chutes are not used to convey linen to a central receiving or sorting room, adequate space shall be allocated in the facility for holding the bagged contaminated linen.
(i) Linen shall be processed in the following manner.