ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION (HEALTHCARE)
SANITATION
o The word sanitation is derived from the Latin word “sanitas” meaning
“health”.
“All precautions and measures which are necessary in production, processing,
storage and distribution, in order to assure an unobjectionable, sound and palatable
product which is suited for human consumption”-(WHO).
ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION
o Means the art and science of applying sanitary, biological and physical science
principles and knowledge to improve and control the environment and factors
therein for the protection of the health and welfare of the public.
PATHOLOGIC ORGANISM
o Any microscopic life form, from a virus to a nematode that
has the potential to cause disease.
Are of five main types:
 Viruses
 bacteria,
 fungi,
 protozoa,
 and worms.
HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED
INFECTION
A hospital-acquired infection (HAI),
also known as a nosocomial infection,
is an infection that is acquired in
a hospital or other health care facility.
Such an infection can be acquired in:
MAIN ROUTES OF TRANSMISSION
1. CONTACT TRANSMISSION
o The most important and frequent mode of transmission of nosocomial
infections is by direct contact.
Divided into two subgroups:
DIRECT-CONTACT: This involves a direct body surface-to-body surface contact
and physical transfer of microorganisms between a susceptible host and an infected
or colonized person.
INDIRECT-CONTACT: This involves contact of a susceptible host with a
contaminated intermediate object, usually inanimate, such as contaminated
instruments, needles, or dressings, or contaminated gloves that are not changed
between patients.
2. DROPLET TRANSMISSION
o Transmission occurs when droplets containing microbes from the infected
person are propelled a short distance through the air and deposited on the
patient's body; droplets are generated from the source person mainly by
coughing, sneezing, and talking, and during the performance of certain
procedures.
3. AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION
o Microorganisms carried in this manner can be dispersed widely by air currents
and may become inhaled by a susceptible host within the same room or over
a longer distance from the source patient, depending on environmental factors.
4. COMMON VEHICLE TRANSMISSION
o This applies to microorganisms transmitted to the host by contaminated items,
such as food, water, medications, devices, and equipment.
5. VECTOR BORNE TRANSMISSION
o This occurs when vectors such as mosquitoes, flies, rats, and other vermin
transmit microorganisms.
Prevention
WHO IS AT RISK OF HAI (HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED
INFECTIONS)?
DISINFECTION
o Disinfection is the process, which involves the
elimination
of
most
pathogenic
microorganisms (excluding bacterial spores)
on inanimate objects.
o The method of disinfection is used
internationally for the safety of humans, to
decrease the scale of transmission of diseases.
HOSPITAL DISINFECTION
o Hospital disinfection is a critical topic in
infection control.
o Without the standards of disinfection from hand washing to scrubs to proper
ventilation -- hospitals would be the dens
of illness and disease that they once were.
UV LIGHT HOSPITAL DISINFECTION
o Are used to kill pathogens
associated with infectious disease
and infections.
o These devices work primarily
through the use of lamps that
produce high-intensity ultraviolet
C (UV-C) light; UV-C is
germicidal;
o It destroys the DNA of bacteria,
viruses, and other microorganisms, preventing them from multiplying,
repairing the damaged DNA, and causing infections and disease.
STERILIZATION
o Sterilization refers to any process that
eliminates, removes, kills, or deactivates all
forms of life and other biological agents
(such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, spore
forms, prions, unicellular eukaryotic
organisms) present in a specified region,
such as a surface, a volume of fluid,
medication, or in a compound such as
biological culture media.
Environmental Health Hazard
An environmental health hazard is a substance, state or event which has the potential
to threaten the surrounding natural environment and/or adversely affect human's
health. Three Fundamental Sets of Components:
PURPOSE OR IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION:
 To provide a healthy living environment for everyone either patient or health
worker;
 To reduce the risk of diseases/infections spreading; and
 To provide safety, security and protection of both patients’ and health
workers’ health.
Color Coding Scheme for Health Care Waste
Color of container/bag
Black
Green
Yellow
Yellow w/ black band
Orange
Red
Type of waste
Non-infectious dry waste
Non-infectious wet waste (kitchen, dietary etc.)
Infectious and pathological waste
Chemical waste including those w/ heavy metals
Radioactive waste
Sharps and pressurized containers
Basic steps in health care waste handling