Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 105 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH › Title 105 CMR 620.000 - Bedding, Upholstered Furniture And Related Products › Section 620.003 - Sterilization

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(A)
When Necessary
.
			 If an article of bedding and upholstered furniture is repaired or renovated for
			 any private or public hospital, jail or other institution or which has been
			 used by any person suffering from an infectious or contagious disease, it must
			 be sterilized and the permit number of the sterilizer must appear on the
			 label.
(B)
Methods of
			 Sterilization
.
(1)
Hot Air
. The apparatus shall be so constructed as to
			 safely produce a temperature of at least 230° F and shall be equipped with
			 automatic control to maintain such temperature. Articles sterilized by this
			 method shall be so treated for a period of not less than 2½ hours and
			 shall be so separated from each other during such process as to allow free
			 circulation of hot air for at least four inches on all sides thereof. There
			 shall be attached to such sterilizer an accurate recording thermometer and a
			 mercury in glass indicating thermometer accurate to 0.5° F. Upon each day
			 that the apparatus is used, the licensee shall cause to be placed upon the
			 recording thermometer a chart which had not been previously used and dated with
			 the year, the month and the day of the month. Each licensee shall cause the
			 recording thermometer to be checked against the indicating thermometer during
			 the 2½ hour period of sterilization and shall record or cause to be
			 recorded upon the chart the readings of each such thermometer and the time of
			 observation. Each licensee shall keep such charts on file for a period of not
			 less than six months upon the premises covered by the license.
(2)
Steam Pressure
.
			 Material may be sterilized by treatment by live steam at a pressure of 15
			 pounds for a period of 30 minutes or at a pressure of 20 pounds for 20 minutes.
			 The chamber shall be steam-tight and shall be equipped with a steam gauge so
			 located as to be easily read.
(3)
Streaming Steam
. Material may be sterilized by two
			 applications of streaming steam maintained for a period of one hour each with
			 an interval between treatment of at least six hours and not more than 24 hours.
			 The chamber shall have outlet valves at the top and bottom which shall be kept
			 open to prevent pressure in the chamber. The room in which the chamber is
			 situated shall be steam-tight and provisions shall be made for the removal of
			 condensed steam.
(4)
Sterilization of Feathers
. New feather must be washed
			 with a solution suitable for cleansing and subsequently be rinsed until free
			 from the cleansing solution. All feathers shall be washed, rinsed and
			 sterilized either by live steam or by dry heat. All feathers shall also be put
			 through a process to remove dust. This method can also be used to sterilize
			 secondhand feathers and down.
(5)
Sodium Cyanide and Sodium Chlorate Brick Form Method
.
			 Not less than 37% of sodium cyanide and not less than 10% of sodium chlorate
			 shall be used in this method. The chamber shall be airtight and shall have an
			 inlet and an outlet, and the outlet shall be equipped with a fan to expel the
			 gas. When 1¼ lb. brick is used, sterilization shall take place for three
			 hours; 2½ lb. brick, 12 hours; five lb. brick, 12 hours; ten lb. brick,
			 24 hours. CAUTION: Sodium cyanide and sodium chlorate shall not be mixed in
			 liquid state, since it may cause fire or explosion. This process is not to be
			 used for sterilizing new feathers.
(6)
Renovation of Secondhand
			 Feather Pillows
. An ultraviolet irradiation process together with
			 ozone gas, may be used to sterilize the contents of secondhand feather pillows
			 for renovation only,
i.e
., not for sale but for return to the
			 owner. The feathers must be removed from the old ticking and sterilized in the
			 loose state. The loose feathers must be agitated, dusted and exposed to an
			 effective concentration and intensity of ultraviolet rays for at least four
			 minutes, with an additional exposure to ozone gas of at least two minutes. The
			 contents of each renovated pillow must be sterilized separately. After
			 sterilization, the feathers should be enclosed in a new ticking, unless the old
			 ticking has been laundered. The ultraviolet tubes should be kept clean and
			 should be replaced periodically in order to maintain effective radiation
			 intensities. This process shall not be approved for use in establishments,
			 where there is a possibility of formation of poisonous phosgene gas by the
			 interaction of ozone with carbon tetrachloride or other chemical compounds,
			 unless adequate mechanical exhaust ventilation is provided, so that these
			 vapors will be vented to the outside air. This method shall not be used to
			 sterilize new feathers and down.