Minimum standards for all operators
Alcohol and drugs
You must not carry out any service on any person who you suspect is under the influence of alcohol, drugs or mind-altering substances, except as prescribed for a medical condition.
Washing of hands
Keep your clothing, hands, and fingernails clean at all times and cover with an impermeable dressing any infected, damaged or inflamed skin.
Thoroughly clean your hands by washing up to the wrist with soap or antibacterial cleansing agent and use an effective sterile barrier to operate taps to maintain cleanliness.
Brush your hands and nails when necessary and dry them with single-use disposable paper towels or other approved hand drying equipment:
- before and after starting each specified service
- immediately after using a toilet, any handkerchief or nasal tissue or smoking.
Wear clean, well-fitting, single-use disposable surgical gloves:
- if the customer is bleeding profusely
- if the customer has open lesions or is known to have a contagious disease
- if you have cuts or wounds on your hands or a skin infection or lesion
- if you are handling blood-soiled items, bodily fluids, excretions, and secretions, as well as surfaces, materials, and objects exposed to them.
Accidents and bleeding
- Have procedures in place for dealing with:
- customers or staff where accidental exposure to another customer’s blood or bodily fluids occurs
- incidents where prolonged or unexpected bleeding occurs.
- Keep procedures on the premises in the form of a written policy and in view of the operator. All staff must be trained to comply with it.
- You must record any incidents where exposure to another customer’s blood or bodily fluids occurs, including the name and address of those exposed and the steps undertaken to respond to the incident.
- Keep records of accidents, involving exposure to another customer’s blood or bodily fluids, for a period of two years and make them available to the council for inspection, on request.
Use of linen and other supplies
- Clean and launder any towel, sheet, cloth, pillow, and any other protective garments or covers after every customer.
- Maintain all permanent covers of mattresses, squabs and cushions in good repair and clean and disinfect them as frequently as is necessary.
- You must not use a towel, sheet, cloth, pillow or any other protective garment or cover on, or immediately under or over, a customer unless:
- it has not been previously used
- it has been laundered to render it clean and hygienic since it was last used.
- You may launder soiled linen in a washing machine with laundry detergent or by a regular commercial laundry service.
- You must dispense creams and lotions from the container with a disposable applicator.
- You must dispense sprays from a purpose-specific pump, where possible.
- You must clearly label all chemicals for identification and never reuse bottles other than with the original product.
Storage of linen and other supplies
- Provide adequate and separate storage lockers or other facilities for the storage of clean and soiled laundry, cleaning equipment, and other chemicals, products or materials.
- Store clean linen, tissue or single-use disposable paper products in a clean, enclosed and dust proof storage area until needed for immediate use.
- Store any used towel, sheet, cloth or any other protective garment in a closed or covered container until laundered or disposed of.
- Have a separate location or cupboard for the safe storage of all chemicals held on the business site, away from service areas and items used when performing a specified service.
Sterile storage
Provide suitable separate dust proof storage spaces for sterile dressings, sterilised instruments, and all sterile articles, including jewellery, used in connection with a specified service that pierces the skin.
Disposal of contaminated material
Any sharps containers and bio hazard waste bins must be dry and puncture-proof and comply with AS/NZS 4031: 1992.
You must demonstrate that you have made appropriate arrangements to dispose of any sharps and bio hazard wastes.
Relevant additional standards
In addition to the minimum standards, several other legislative acts, guidelines and codes of practice are also relevant:
- AS/NZS 4031: 1992 – “Australian and New Zealand standard for non-reusable containers for the collection of sharp items used in human and animal medical applications”.
- The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 aims to promote the prevention of harm to all people at work, and others in, or near, places of work. It applies to all New Zealand workplaces, and specifies the responsibilities of employers, the self-employed, employees, principals and others who manage or control hazards. It requires the maintenance of safe working environments, and the implementation of sound practice.
- Employers and self-employed persons must notify the Labour Group of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment as soon as possible of workplace accidents and occurrences of serious harm.
