Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND LICENSING
Chapter 246-812 - Board of denturists
INFECTION CONTROL
Section 246-812-510 - Definitions-Barriers and sterilization

(1) "Communicable disease" means an illness caused by an infectious agent that can be transmitted from one person, animal, or object to another person by direct or indirect means including transmission via an intermediate host, vector, food, water, or air.

(2) "Decontamination" means the use of physical or chemical means to remove, inactivate, or destroy bloodborne pathogens on a surface or item to the point where they are no longer capable of transmitting infectious particles and the surface or item is rendered safe for handling, use, or disposal.

(3) "Direct care staff" means denturist staff who directly provide denturist care to patients.

(4) "Disinfection" means the use of a chemical agent on inanimate objects to destroy recognized pathogenic microorganisms, but not necessarily all microbial forms.

(5) "Sterilization" means the use of a physical or chemical procedure to destroy all microorganisms including substantial numbers of resistant bacterial spores.