Decontamination in primary care dental practices - Gov.uk

10 Procurement of decontamination equipment and instruments• explanation of warning indication (cycle failureetc);• all maintenance requirements;• monthly maintenance requirements or as permanufacturers’ recommendations;• yearly testing and validation requirements/procedures;• consumable parts list;• spares components list incorporatingidentification numbers;• make, model and serial number;• lifting and handling requirements;• staff training;• appropriate PPE.Selecting instruments10.23 When selecting new instruments, the followingshould be considered:• For what purposes will the instruments be used– will the instruments selected be fit for thispurpose?• Is it compatible with other instruments in use?• Is there an appropriate single-use device thatwould meet the requirements?• If reusable, how easy will it be maintained?• Does the instrument need dismantling beforecleaning?• Are there instructions from the manufacturerdescribing how this can be done?• Does the instrument have a limited lifecyclespecified by the manufacturer?• What are the manufacturer’s recommendationsfor cleaning and will they be achievable inpractice?• Will the instrument withstand automatedwasher-disinfector processes?• What cleaning agents are recommended – dothey comply with COSHH and health andsafety requirements? Are these cleaning agentscompatible with the washer-disinfector,ultrasonic cleaner and instruments already usedin the practice?Note• Is steam sterilization (134–138°C for aminimum of three minutes) appropriate for theinstruments?• If another time/temperature range isrecommended, can this be undertaken?• Is training required? Will the manufacturerprovide it?• What commissioning and validation is requiredfor the equipment? What are the ongoing costs?Difficult-to-clean serrated handles should be avoided;it should also be ensured that hinges are easy to clean.Policy on new reusable instruments10.24 Before being put into use, new dental instrumentsshould be fully decontaminated.10.25 Reusable dental instruments should be separatedinto:• those that can withstand either processing in awasher-disinfector or ultrasonic cleaning; and• those that will require manual cleaning(although practices should aim to phase ininstruments that can be cleaned via automatedprocesses).10.26 Some instruments consisting of more thanone component will need to be dismantled forcleaning. The manufacturer’s instructions shouldalways be followed.10.27 Personal training records should show that:• staff have been appropriately trained;• staff are competent to decontaminate thereusable dental instruments presently in use;and• training is updated for any new instrumentsintroduced into the dental environment.10.28 Items that cannot be immersed in water (forexample, electrical and electronic equipment)should be cleaned in accordance with themanufacturer’s instructions.10.29 If recommendations include wiping with adetergent solution, then a clean non-linting clothplus the recommended detergent solution (to wipethe instrument) should be used. This should befollowed by wiping with a clean damp non-linting51