Blood and Bodily Fluid Spill Cleanup Procedure

1. Introduction and Purpose

Loyalist College is committed to ensuring the safe cleanup of blood or bodily fluid spills to minimize any potential exposure of bloodborne pathogens to college community members. This procedure outlines the requirements for the safe cleanup of blood or bodily fluid spills to enhance workplace safety, mitigate risk, and assure compliance with legislated regulations.

2. Application

This procedure applies to all Loyalist College employees, students, and contractors involved in teaching, laboratory diagnostics, spill clean-up, or any other activities that may bring an individual in contact with biohazardous and/or potentially biohazardous materials.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Supervisor and Faculty:

• Ensure individuals who may be exposed to biohazardous materials are trained in safe material handling, personal protective measures, and spill cleanup.
• Ensure training programs are updated and align with all applicable legislative requirements for their area/activities, including but not limited to: the Canadian Biosafety Standard, Regulation 833: Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Health of Animals Act and Regulations, the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act, New Substances Notification Regulations (Organisms), the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act and Regulations, and the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS).
• Ensure that appropriate materials and personal protective equipment (PPE) are readily available to safely clean up spills.
• Ensure that any blood or bodily fluid spill is cleaned up promptly and safely.
• Ensure the reporting requirements within OHS 006 Workplace Incident Reporting are met for incidents involving injuries, property damage, etc.
• Ensure and support proper incident management within ERP 001 Emergency Response Plan, if necessary.

Employees and Students:

• Participate in all training associated with biosafety, including training on bloodborne pathogen exposure and spill cleanup.
• Immediately report all incidents of exposure or possible exposure to blood borne pathogens to the appropriate supervisor or faculty member. 
• Ensure that all universal precautions and PPE are employed, and all procedural steps are adhered to, when encountering a spill involving biohazardous materials.

The Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC):

• Monitor compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).
• Review incident reports and recommend corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Conduct workplace inspections to ensure proper safety protocols are in place.

Organizational Health and Wellness Specialist:

• Assist in the investigation of incidents related to blood and bodily fluid exposure.
• Work with the JHSC to address any safety concerns.
• Support supervisors in implementing corrective actions and safety improvements.
• Provide expert guidance on spill response procedures and infection control measures.

4. Procedure

4.1 Universal Precautions

Whenever the possibility of contact with blood or bodily fluids exists (spill cleanup, first aid treatment to wounds, etc.), individuals must exercise universal precautions. 

These precautions require an individual to treat every spill as if it were infectious, and require the use of the following:

• vinyl, latex, or nitrile gloves,
• safety glasses, should a splash risk exist,
• personal protective equipment (PPE), should the spill clean-up involve a large quantity of blood or bodily fluids, and
• soap and water, for thorough handwashing after an exposure, even if gloves were worn.

4.2 Disinfectants for Use on Blood or Bodily Fluid Spills

Disinfectants to be used for blood or bodily fluid spills include:

Disinfectant	Dilution Required	Contact Time (minimum)
Household bleach	dilute 1 part bleach to 9 parts water	20 minutes
“Blu-Lite Plus” by Dustbane	dilute 1 part Blu-Lite Plus to 10 parts potable water	5 minutes

NEVER MIX DISINFECTANTS!

Note: Food handling surfaces may require a final rinse with potable water. Refer to the disinfectant’s specification sheet for more information.

Note: A supervisor may provide alternative chemicals to this list due to availability. The manufacturer’s instructions are to be always followed and contact times must be adhered to.

4.3 Procedure for Management of Blood or Bodily Fluid Spills

Step One. Inform the supervisor of any encountered blood or bodily fluid spill.

Step Two. Donall appropriate personal protective equipment. All spills of biohazardous material must be treated as if they are infectious and universal precautions must be adhered to.

Step Three. If there are any sharp materials (e.g., broken glassware) within the spill, use tongs or a dustpan to pick up and remove these objects. Dispose of any sharp items safely in a sharps container to ensure others will not be inadvertently injured when handling this waste.

Step Four. Cover the spill area with paper towels or other absorbent material. Blot and/or wipe up any excess blood or bodily fluids. Place any soiled materials in a plastic bag.

Step Five. Apply an approved disinfectant to the spill area, ensuring the contact time indicated is met. Do not mix disinfectants.

Step Six. Wipe the area with clean paper towels or other absorbent material, ensuring all disinfectant has been cleaned up. Utilize wet floor signage if flooring remains damp following this step.

Step Seven. Place all soiled materials, including used gloves, in a plastic bag. When removing gloves, grasp by the cuff and turn the glove inside out, ensuring skin does not contact the outside of the glove. Tie the bag shut and place it in the garbage.

Step Eight. Wash and disinfect any reusable items used during spill clean-up (tongs, dustpan, etc.) with an approved disinfectant. Do not mix disinfectants.

Step Nine. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.

Step Ten. Complete any required incident reporting.

5. Related Documents and Links

• OHS 005 Biosafety Policy
• ERP 001 Emergency Response Plan
• OHS 006 Workplace Incident Reporting

6. References

• Canadian Biosafety Standard, 3rd Edition
• Canadian Environmental Protection Act
• Health of Animals Act and Regulations
• Human Pathogens and Toxins Act
• New Substances Notification Regulations (Organisms)
• Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
• R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 833: Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act and Regulations
• Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)