National Norms and Standards relating to Environmental Health

a) Separate storage facilities must be provided for the storage of clean linen and the storage of soiledlinen prior to collection and cleaning.b) A room reserved exclusively for sorting and handling linen must be provided.c) A room for the storage of any spare equipment, including heavy equipment and gas cylinders must beprovided.3.7 Laundry facilitiesa) Landry area must be provided for laundering of linen on the premises and facilities used in connectionwith laundering of linen on the premises must be in compliance with the requirements as set out inSection 10 of this norms and standards.b) If an outside contractor is utilized for laundry purposes, it must be done in an approved laundry by aregistered service provider.3.8 Health care risk waste managementApproved methods of waste collection, storage, transportation and disposal must be adopted onthe premises and the management of health care risk waste must be in line with the NEM: WasteAct (Act 39 of 2004) and SANS 10248.a) Approved methods for handling, collection, storage and handling of waste, including health care riskwaste must be adopted on the premises.b) An adequate number of purpose-manufactured, leak-proof, sealable containers must be available forthe storage of health care risk waste. Such containers to be designed as to not allow the exposure ofneedles, cuts and other substances that may cause harm to service users or staff members;c) Containers used for the storage of health care risk waste must be clearly labeled in large, legiblelettering;d) Employees must be adequately trained in the identification, separation, handling and storing of healthcare risk waste;e) Containers used for the storage of health care risk waste must be clearly labeled in large, legiblelettering;f) Employees must be adequately trained in the identification, separation, handling and storing of healthcare risk waste;g) Health care risk waste may only be removed/ collected, transported, treated and dispose by aregistered service provider from the premises.3.9 Storage facilitiesAdequate storage facilities which should be utilized for storage and distribution of items must beprovided.a) Storage facilities must be provided for the storage for medicines and drugs and such facilities must bekept locked at all times except when medicines or drugs are being removed or returned to it;b) Additional storage facilities must be provided for the storage of poisons, habit-forming drugs andpotentially dangerous drugs;c) Storage room must contain adequate moveable shelving made of impervious material.d) Every shelf in a store room must be a minimum height of 225 mm above the floor;e) All storerooms and store facilities must be kept clean at all times and cleaned routinely at least onceevery week;f) Hazardous substances must be stored and disposed in a safe manner, separate from other nonhazardousmaterials;g) Expired medicines to be kept and disposed in a safe manner;h) Adequate storage facilities must be provided for the storage of any spare equipment, includingparticularly heavy equipment and gas cylinders. The equipment must be stored in manner so as notto obstruct any passages, entrances of exits to the premises;i) Adequate storage facilities for articles that are reasonable necessary to store on the premises for theday to day running of the nursing home must be provided; andj) A separate linen room, containing adequate cupboards or shelves for the storage of linen must beprovided.DOH. Norms and standards for environmental health in South Africa Feb 2013 25