Product Overview

Summary: This Laundry Service Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, step-by-step requirements for safely handling, processing, and storing laundry in Australian workplaces. It helps you manage infection control, chemical exposure, and manual handling risks while delivering consistent, high-quality laundering standards for uniforms, linens, and client garments.

Laundry operations in health, aged care, hospitality, and commercial settings carry significant safety and infection control obligations under Australian WHS law. From handling soiled linen and sharps-contaminated items to working with hot machinery and concentrated chemicals, poorly controlled laundry processes can lead to cross-contamination, staff injuries, and non-compliance with regulatory requirements. This Laundry Service Safe Operating Procedure provides a comprehensive, practical framework for safely managing every stage of the laundry workflow, tailored to Australian workplaces.

The SOP covers the full lifecycle of laundry: collection and segregation at point-of-use, safe transport, receiving and sorting, loading and unloading of washers and dryers, use of detergents and sanitisers, ironing and finishing, folding and storage, and delivery back to users. It embeds infection prevention principles, clear PPE expectations, manual handling controls, and lock-out/tag-out guidance for equipment. By implementing this procedure, businesses can demonstrate due diligence, standardise staff training, reduce the likelihood of outbreaks and injuries, and protect both workers and service users while maintaining a professional, consistent standard of presentation for all laundered items.

Key Benefits

• Ensure consistent, defensible laundry practices that align with Australian WHS and infection control expectations.
• Reduce the risk of cross-contamination, infection transmission, and soiled-to-clean linen mix-ups.
• Minimise manual handling injuries associated with lifting, carrying, and transferring laundry bags and trolleys.
• Standardise staff training and onboarding with clear, step-by-step instructions for every stage of the laundry process.
• Improve equipment uptime and lifespan through structured pre-use checks, safe operation, and basic maintenance routines.

Who is this for?

• Laundry Supervisors
• Aged Care Facility Managers
• Hospital and Clinical Services Managers
• Hotel and Accommodation Managers
• Commercial Laundry Operators
• WHS Managers and Coordinators
• Infection Prevention and Control Nurses
• Facilities and Support Services Managers
• Disability Service Providers
• Cleaning and Environmental Services Team Leaders

Hazards Addressed

• Exposure to biological hazards from soiled and infectious linen (blood, body fluids, respiratory secretions)
• Chemical exposure from detergents, sanitisers, bleaches, and other laundry chemicals
• Burns and scalds from hot water, steam, irons, presses, and dryers
• Manual handling injuries from lifting and moving heavy or awkward laundry bags, hampers, and trolleys
• Slip, trip, and fall risks from wet floors, trailing hoses, and obstructed walkways
• Entanglement, crush, and pinch injuries from washing machines, dryers, ironers, and conveyors
• Heat stress and fatigue in hot, poorly ventilated laundry environments
• Sharps and foreign object injuries from needles, blades, or other items left in pockets or bedding
• Noise exposure from continuous operation of industrial laundry equipment
• Electrical hazards associated with powered laundry equipment and damp environments

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology
• 3.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Guidelines
• 4.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 5.0 Required PPE, Equipment and Materials
• 6.0 Laundry Workflow Overview (Dirty to Clean Flow)
• 7.0 Collection and Segregation of Soiled Linen
• 8.0 Safe Handling and Transport of Laundry
• 9.0 Receiving, Sorting and Pre-treatment of Laundry
• 10.0 Operation of Washing Machines and Disinfection Cycles
• 11.0 Use and Management of Laundry Chemicals
• 12.0 Operation of Dryers, Ironers and Finishing Equipment
• 13.0 Folding, Packing, Labelling and Storage of Clean Linen
• 14.0 Infection Prevention and Cross-contamination Controls
• 15.0 Manual Handling Controls and Use of Trolleys
• 16.0 Housekeeping, Waste Management and Sharps Handling
• 17.0 Equipment Pre-use Checks, Maintenance and Lock-out/Tag-out
• 18.0 Emergency Procedures (Spills, Exposures, Equipment Failure, Fire)
• 19.0 Training, Competency and Supervision Requirements
• 20.0 Record Keeping, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
• 21.0 Review and Audit of Laundry Service Procedure

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and corresponding state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and corresponding state and territory WHS Regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities
• AS/NZS 4146:2000 Laundry practice
• AS/NZS 2243.1: Safety in laboratories – Planning and operational aspects (for relevant clinical laundry interfaces)
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment (where applicable)
• AS/NZS 1319: Safety signs for the occupational environment
• Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (NHMRC, as applicable to healthcare and aged care laundries)