Product Overview

Summary: This Infectious Material Cleaning Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, step-by-step method for safely cleaning and disinfecting areas contaminated with blood, body fluids, and other potentially infectious materials. It helps Australian workplaces control infection risks, protect workers and visitors, and demonstrate compliance with WHS and infection prevention obligations.

Infectious material incidents – from blood spills and body fluids to contaminated sharps and waste – can occur in any workplace, not just hospitals. Without a robust, documented process, staff may improvise, leading to inconsistent cleaning practices, increased exposure to pathogens, and non-compliance with Australian WHS duties. This Infectious Material Cleaning Safe Operating Procedure sets out a practical, defensible framework for safely containing, cleaning, disinfecting, and disposing of infectious materials in line with recognised infection prevention principles.

The SOP guides your team through preparation, risk assessment, selection of appropriate disinfectants and PPE, safe cleaning techniques, waste handling, and decontamination of equipment and surfaces. It also covers incident reporting, post-exposure actions, and communication requirements so that your organisation can respond calmly and consistently to contamination events. By implementing this procedure, businesses across healthcare, aged care, education, laboratories, hospitality, and general workplaces can reduce infection risks, support staff confidence, and demonstrate due diligence to regulators, clients, and auditors.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of infection transmission from blood and body substance spills in the workplace.
• Ensure consistent, evidence-based cleaning and disinfection practices across all shifts and locations.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS and infection control obligations during audits and inspections.
• Protect workers, contractors, patients, residents, students and visitors from preventable exposure to infectious materials.
• Support rapid, confident responses to contamination incidents through clear roles, steps and documentation.

Who is this for?

• WHS Managers
• Infection Prevention and Control Coordinators
• Facilities and Cleaning Managers
• Healthcare Practice Managers
• Aged Care Managers
• School Business Managers
• Laboratory Supervisors
• Environmental Services Team Leaders
• First Aid Officers
• Contract Cleaning Company Owners

Hazards Addressed

• Exposure to bloodborne pathogens (e.g. hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV)
• Exposure to respiratory and enteric pathogens via contaminated surfaces
• Contact with infectious body fluids (e.g. vomit, urine, faeces, saliva, sputum)
• Needlestick and sharps injuries during cleanup and waste handling
• Chemical exposure from incorrect use of disinfectants and cleaning agents
• Slip hazards from spills and wet cleaning processes
• Cross-contamination between clean and dirty areas or equipment
• Inadequate use or disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE)

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Types of Infectious Materials
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Guidelines
• 5.0 Required Training and Competency
• 6.0 Required PPE, Cleaning Agents and Equipment
• 7.0 Risk Assessment Prior to Cleaning
• 8.0 Classification of Spills and Contamination Levels
• 9.0 Step-by-Step Procedure for Infectious Material Cleaning
• 10.0 Sharps Handling and Disposal Procedure
• 11.0 Waste Segregation, Packaging, Labelling and Disposal
• 12.0 Decontamination of Equipment and Reusable Items
• 13.0 Ventilation and Area Reoccupation Requirements
• 14.0 Incident Reporting and Recordkeeping
• 15.0 Post-Exposure Management and First Aid
• 16.0 Cleaning Verification and Quality Checks
• 17.0 Communication with Affected Staff, Clients and Visitors
• 18.0 Housekeeping, Storage and Stock Management
• 19.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement
• 20.0 Document Control and Version History

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations (as implemented in each state and territory)
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
• Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (NHMRC)
• AS/NZS 3816: Management of clinical and related wastes
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
• AS/NZS 2243.3: Safety in laboratories – Microbiological safety and containment (where applicable)