OHS026
Safe Work Procedure
Faculty/Division Medicine
Document number
STGCL.SWP.13.1
Initial Issue date
15/10/09
School/ Divisional Unit: St George Clinical School
Current version
1.0
Current Version
Issue date 15/10/09
Next review date
October 2010
The Writing Safe Work Procedures Guideline (OHS027) should be consulted to assist in the completion of this
form.
Safe Work Procedure Title and basic description
Title: Safe Work Procedure for General Cleaning of Level 3, Research Facility Laboratories & Equipment
Description: General Cleaning of Level 3, Research Facility Laboratories & Equipment
Associated risk assessment title and location: STGCL.RA.13.1
Describe the activity or process
Procedure for Daily Cleaning of Level 3, Research & Education Centre
Daily Cleaning Service provided by ISS Contract Cleaners
1. Level 3 Offices and Labs are cleaned on a daily basis by Hospital Contract Cleaners, ISS Cleaning Services.
2. The Cleaner must wear gloves and a Laboratory Gown while cleaning in the Laboratory area. Only gloves must be worn
when cleaning the office areas / kitchens / toilets
3. The cleaner removes the Yellow Biohazard Waste bags from each bin and replaces a fresh clean yellow biohazard bag
into these bins. The biohazard waste bags which have been removed are placed in the yellow biohazard wheelie bin
(which is already lined with a yellow plastic biohazard bag).
4. The cleaner removes the clear bags from bins and replaces these bins with fresh clear bags. Waste in clear bags is
general waste eg plastic packaging, packing etc
5. The cleaner removes the blue bags from bins and replaces these bins with fresh blue bags. Waste in blue bags is paper
for re-cycling.
6. The cleaner removes the cardboard boxes placed in the metal trolley.
7. The yellow wheelie bin, the clear bags of waste, the blue bags of waste and the cardboard is brought by the cleaner to the
loading bay for collection by waste management.
8. The cleaner cleans the Male and Female toilets daily and replaces hand soaps / paper towels / toilet rolls as necessary.
9. The cleaner cleans the kitchen on a daily basis which includes wiping down the counter and draining board.
10. The cleaner vacuums the carpet in the office areas and Tea Room on a weekly basis
11. The cleaner mops the floors in the toilets and kitchen on a weekly basis– a sign must be used to indicate that the floor may
be slippery when wet.
12. The cleaner mops the floors in the Labs on a regular basis. Items in trays or wheels can be moved to allow cleaning. Use
a safety sign to indicate that the floor may be slippery when wet and leave this sign in place until the floor is fully dry.
13. Waste water from floor cleaning is to be disinfected by adding bleach and poured down the sink in the wash-up /
sterilization lab
14. Cleaners must remove gloves and wash hands with soap and water before leaving the lab.
15. ISS Contract Cleaners are NOT responsible for:

cleaning Laboratory Benches / surfaces,

removing yellow sharps bins or purple cytotoxic sharps bins,

removing bottles filled with chemical / isotope waste

removing obsolete equipment
16. Contract cleaners are NOT permitted to enter the Radioactivity Lab, Chemical Store or Cool Room
Procedure for Scheduled Cleaning of Laboratories of Level 3, Research & Education Centre by Researchers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The Senior Technical Officer and Senior Lab Personnel will co-ordinate the scheduled Laboratory Cleaning
Before commencing cleaning, a ‘Cleaning in Progress’ Sign must be placed on the outside of the Laboratory Door
Lab personnel will be assigned a specific Lab area to clean.
Laboratory Gown, Closed Shoes, and Latex gloves must be worn prior to starting work
All areas of the labs must cleaned starting at the top and working down.
Using warm water, a neutral detergent eg 1/10 dilution of Viraclean and disposable absorbent paper, wipe down all
surfaces ie cupboard doors, open shelving, the top external surface of fridges, freezers, Lab benches and window sills.
7. Use a glass cleaner to clean any glass cupboard doors.
8. Remove any items on open shelving prior to wiping.
9. Using warm water, a neutral detergent eg 1/10 dilution of Viraclean and disposable absorbent paper, wipe down the
surfaces of all equipment unless these are contaminated (for specific instructions for cleaning equipment pieces see
below).
10. Pull out all cabinets / equipment placed beneath the benches. Using warm water, a neutral detergent eg 1/10 dilution of
Viraclean and disposable absorbent paper, wipe down the surface of these cabinets
11. Mop the entire floor with warm water and neutral detergent 1/10 dilution of Viraclean including underneath fridges /
freezers / cabinets. Use a safety sign to indicate that the floor may be slippery when wet. Remove sign when the floor is
fully dry.
12. Complete Cleaning Log
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 1 of 3
Safe Work Procedure
Date Effective: 01/01/2007
Uncontrolled document when printed
Current Version: 1.2, 15/08/2007
Procedure for Cleaning of Equipment by Researchers
Cleaning Biohazard Class II Safety Cabinets
1. Wear protective clothing (gloves, gown, enclosed shoes) at all times.
2. Remove all pipette canisters, racks; tip boxes etc. from inside hood.
3. Remove grill and working tray from hood.
4. Disinfect inside surfaces with neutral detergent solution eg wipe with disposable adsorbent paper and neat Viraclean;
5. Clean tray and grill with disposable adsorbent paper and neat Viraclean
6. Clean the glass, inside and out, with 1/10 Viraclean.
7. Wipe canisters, racks, tip boxes etc. with 70% (w/v) ethanol and return to hood.
8. Place cover on hood and turn UV light on for 10-15 minutes.
9. Sign and date cleaning log
10. Dispose of all contaminated wipes into a yellow biohazard bag for autoclaving.
Cleaning Centrifuges
1. Wear protective clothing (gloves, gown, enclosed shoes) at all times.
2. Open the centrifuge lid fully and then switch the centrifuge off at the wall socket.
3. Remove centrifuge buckets and place to the side on absorbent sheeting.
4. Remove the tube adaptors from the buckets, disassemble if applicable and soak in warm water with a neutral dishwashing
detergent eg HI Clean Manual Dishwashing Detergent.
5. Unscrew the rotor from the spindle with the tool provided.
6. Carefully remove the rotor from the spindle & place to the side on absorbent sheeting.
7. Decontaminate the centrifuge chamber (bowl), inner lid and all rubber seals using 70% (w/v) ethanol or using 1:10 dilution
of Viraclean. In case of leakage or breakage – use neat Viraclean for 10 minutes, soak up with absorbent paper and
repeat.
8. Clean the rotor, buckets and each adaptor element using 70% (w/v) ethanol (Careful: Flammable liquid) or using 1:10
dilution of Viraclean. Rinse or wipe dry with absorbent paper. In case of spill, leakage or breakage the preferred method is
to pressure steam sterilise at 1210C for 15 min recommended. An acceptable alternative is to use 1:100 Trigene Advance
for a minimum contact time of 5 minutes and rinse with demineralised water use neat Viraclean for 10 minutes, soak up
with absorbent paper and repeat.
9. Dispose of all contaminated wipes into a biohazard bag for autoclaving.
10. Lightly grease the spindle of the centrifuge with the lubricant supplied.
11. Place the rotor back onto the spindle and fasten it carefully with the tool provided. Make sure that the rotor is sitting
straight on the spindle before fastening it. Please do not over-tighten.
12. Replace the buckets and reassemble the adaptors.
13. Dispose of the contaminated absorbent sheets into a biohazard bag for autoclaving.
14. Clean the outside of the centrifuge with a 1/10 dilution of Viraclean and wipe dry
15. Plug the centrifuge in and switch the power on.
16. Fill in the cleaning log.
Cleaning Waterbaths
1. Wear protective clothing (gloves, gown, enclosed shoes) at all times Turn water bath off at the power point and unplug
2. Remove all racks, bottles etc. from water bath
3. Remove floor of water bath; clean with HI Clean Manual Dishwashing Detergent and Neutral Cleaner or other Neutral
detergent eg 1/10 dilution of Viraclean, then rinse with water; similarly, clean the plastic floor lifter
4. Empty the water bath; clean out the inside, including the lid and the heating elements, with a neutral detergent solution;
rinse with water and wipe dry; wipe over with 70% (w/v) ethanol
5. Replace the floor of the water bath
6. Clean the outside of the waterbath with HI Clean Manual Dishwashing Detergent in warm water or other Neutral Detergent
eg 1/10 dilution of Viraclean, rinse with water and wipe dry
7. Refill the water bath with distilled water; add ~10% volume of tap water (this is to prevent reaction of the stainless steel
and the deionised water)
8. To keep the instrument free of bacterial and fungal growth, add the required amount of SigmaClean Waterbath treatment,
a cationic surfactant and germicide solution (Catalogue No – S5525) at a concentration of 0.16ml/litre
9. Wipe all racks carefully with 1/10 dilution of Viraclean and return to water bath
10. Plug water bath in and allow to heat up; the water bath has a tendency to overheat after being emptied/cleaned so check
the temperature with in-bath thermometer (and adjust if necessary) before assuming the job is finished.
11. Sign and date cleaning log
Cleaning Incubators
1. Wear protective clothing (gloves, gown, enclosed shoes) at all times. Turn incubator off at the power point and unplug.
2. Remove all racks from the Incubator.
3. Clean the interior of the incubator with a Neutral detergent eg 1/10 dilution of Viraclean using absorbent paper
4. Wipe all racks carefully with a Neutral detergent eg 1/10 dilution of Viraclean using absorbent paper and return to the
incubator
5. Clean the outside of the incubator with 1/10 dilution of Viraclean using absorbent paper and wipe dry
6. Plug the incubator in and allow to heat up.
7. Sign and date cleaning log
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 2 of 3
Safe Work Procedure
Date Effective: 01/01/2007
Uncontrolled document when printed
Current Version: 1.2, 15/08/2007
List all resources required including plant,
chemicals, personal protective clothing and
equipment, etc
ISS Contract Cleaners x 1, All assigned Research Staff, Laboratory Gowns, Latex Gloves, Closed Footwear, Disposable cleaning
cloths / towels, Neutral Detergent (eg Viraclean Disinfectant or hi Clean Manual Dishwasher Detergent), Glass Cleaner, 70% (w/v)
ethanol, lubricant grease for centrifuge, buckets, mop, warm water, slippery when wet sign,
List potential hazards and risk controls including
specific precautions required
Hazard: Slips/ Trips/ Falls when floor is wet
Risk Controls: Use Signage to indicate floor is wet
Hazard: Cleaning Detergents
Risk Control: Use the least Hazardous Cleaning agents eg Viraclean
List emergency shutdown instructions
N/A
List clean up and waste disposal requirements
N/A
List legislation, standards and codes of practice used
in the development of the SWP
AS/NZS 2243.3:2002 Australian/New Zealand Standard Safety in Laboratories Part 3
Supervisory approval, training, and review
Supervisor: Prof Michael Grimm
Signature:
Plant custodian: Prof Michael Grimm
Signature
List competency required – qualifications, certificates, licencing, training - eg course or instruction: training in this Safe Work
Procedure
SWP review date: October 2010
Responsibility for SWP review: Sinead O’Reilly
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 3 of 3
Safe Work Procedure
Date Effective: 01/01/2007
Uncontrolled document when printed
Current Version: 1.2, 15/08/2007