Section 250.1750  Soiled Linen

a)         Each of the following classes of laundry shall be separately transported, stored and washed:

1)         Soiled diapers.

2)         Newborn nursery linen.

3)         All radioactive contaminated linen.

4)         Linen from pathology.

b)         Isolation and other potentially infectious linens shall be bagged at the location where they are used in durable, leak-proof bags resistant to puncture and tears and shall be labeled or identified as infectious at the site of use.

c)         Soiled linen shall not be sorted or pre-rinsed in patient care areas. Soiled linen may be sorted in a separate enclosed room by a person instructed in methods of infection control.  These personnel shall not have responsibility for immediately handling clean linen.

d)         Soiled linen shall be stored and transported in a manner which does not permit contamination of clean linen, corridors and areas occupied by patients.

e)         All carts and other containers used to store or to transport clean or soiled linen shall be identified for soiled linen only or for clean linen only and shall be kept covered when not in use.

f)         If laundry chutes are used for transporting soiled linen, all soiled linen shall be bagged.  The chutes shall be designed to maintain a negative air pressure within the chute and shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition.

(Source:  Amended at 15 Ill. Reg. 13811, effective October 1, 1991)