(a) The facility shall adopt, implement, and enforce policies to provide sufficient clean linen to ensure the comfort of the patient.
(b) For purposes of this subsection, contaminated linen is linen that has been soiled with blood or other potentially infectious materials or may contain sharps. Other potentially infectious materials means:
  (1) the following human body fluids: semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood, and all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids;
  (2) any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin) from a human (living or dead); and
  (3) Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, and HIV or Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)-containing culture medium or other solutions; and blood, organs, or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV.
(c) The facility, whether it operates its own laundry or uses a commercial service, shall ensure that employees of a facility involved in transporting, processing, or otherwise handling clean or soiled linen shall be given initial and follow-up in-service training to ensure a safe product for patients and to safeguard employees in their work.
(d) Employees who have contact with contaminated linen shall wear gloves and other appropriate personal protective equipment.
(e) Clean linen shall be handled, transported, and stored by methods that will ensure its cleanliness.
(f) Contaminated linen shall be handled as little as possible and with a minimum of agitation.
  (1) Contaminated linen shall not be sorted or rinsed in patient care areas.
  (2) Contaminated linen shall be bagged or put into carts at the location where it was used.
  (3) Contaminated linen shall be placed and transported in bags or containers that are labeled or color-coded.
  (4) Bags containing contaminated linen shall be closed before transport.
  (5) Whenever contaminated linen is wet and presents a reasonable likelihood of soak-through or leakage from the bag or container, the linen shall be deposited and transported in bags that prevent leakage of fluids to the exterior.
(g) All linen placed in chutes shall be bagged.
(h) If chutes are not used to convey linen to a central receiving or sorting room, adequate space shall be allocated in the facility for holding the bagged contaminated linen.
(i) Linen shall be processed in the following manner.
  (1) If hot water is used, linen shall be washed with detergent in water with a temperature of at least 71 degrees Centigrade (160 degrees Fahrenheit) for 25 minutes.
  (2) If low-temperature (less than or equal to 70 degrees Centigrade, 158 degrees Fahrenheit) laundry cycles are used, chemicals suitable for low-temperature washing at proper use concentration shall be used.
  (3) Fabrics soiled with blood may be commercially dry cleaned (because dry cleaning eliminates the risk of pathogen transmission).
  (4) Flammable liquids shall not be used to process laundry but may be used for equipment maintenance.

Source Note: The provisions of this §509.58 adopted to be effective December 4, 2023, 48 TexReg 7064