HEALTH FACILITIES: REVISE LAUNDRY REQUIREMENTS
House Bill 4592
Sponsor: Rep. Lisa Wojno
Committee: Health Policy
Complete to 8-25-03
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4592 AS INTRODUCED 4-29-03
The bill would add a new section to the Public Health Code to require all health facilities or agencies in which invasive surgical procedures are performed or in which the employees have occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material to comply with the laundering requirements contained in departmental rules. Further, the bill would require a health facility or agency to prohibit an employee from taking his or her work clothes home for laundering if that employee participated in an invasive surgical procedure or was exposed to potentially infectious material.
The term “other potentially infectious material” is defined in departmental rules and includes human body fluids; unfixed human tissue or organs; and cell or tissue cultures containing HIV, organ cultures, and culture medium and solutions containing HIV or HBV (hepatitis B), as well as tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV (R 325.70002 of the Michigan Administrative Code). The rules also regulate the manner in which laundry that is or may be soiled with blood or other potentially infectious material must be handled. For example, contaminated laundry must be bagged at the location where it was used, then placed and transported in properly marked containers. Laundry workers must wear protective gloves and other appropriate protective work clothing while handling contaminated laundry. Employers must ensure that all contaminated laundry is cleaned and laundered in such a way that any bloodborne pathogens are inactivated or destroyed (R 325.70011 of the Michigan Administrative Code).
MCL 333.20195a
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.