Code of Maryland Regulations › Title 10 - MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH › Part 1 › Subtitle 06 - DISEASES › Chapter 10.06.06 - Communicable Disease Prevention-Handling, Treatment, and Disposal of Special Medical Waste › Section 10.06.06.02 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 14, July 12, 2024
A. In this chapter,
				  the following terms have the meanings indicated.
B. Terms Defined.
(1) "Anatomical material" means human or
				  animal body parts, including tissues and organs.
(2) "Autoclaving" means a process by which an
				  article is subjected to steam under pressure for documented periods of time,
				  temperature, and pressure that render the article incapable of transmitting
				  disease to humans.
(3) "Blood"
				  means human blood, human blood components, and products made from human
				  blood.
(4) Bloodborne Pathogens.
(a) "Bloodborne pathogens" means pathogenic
				  microorganisms that:
(i) Are present in human
				  blood; and
(ii) Can cause disease
				  in humans.
(b)
				  "Bloodborne pathogens" includes, but is not limited to:
(i) Human immunodeficiency virus;
(ii) Hepatitis B virus; and
(iii) Hepatitis C virus.
(5) "Chemical disinfection" means
				  the application of a chemical agent to an article, so that the article is
				  rendered incapable of transmitting disease to humans.
(6) "Contaminated" means the presence or the
				  reasonably anticipated presence of blood or other potentially infectious
				  materials on an item or surface.
(7) "Cremation" means the incineration of
				  human or animal remains.
(8)
				  "Decontamination" means the use of physical or chemical means to remove,
				  inactivate, or destroy bloodborne pathogens on an article to render the article
				  incapable of transmitting disease to humans.
(9) "Department" means the Department of
				  Health and Mental Hygiene.
(10)
				  "Disinfection" means a method that inactivates:
(a) Vegetative bacteria, fungi,
				  lipophilic/hydrophilic viruses, parasites, and mycobacteria at a 6 log
				  reduction or greater; and
(b)
				  Bacillus stearothermophilus spores and Bacillus subtilis spores at a 4 log
				  reduction or greater.
(11) "Encapsulation" means a process by
				  which:
(a) An article is sealed in a material
				  that renders the article no longer recognizable or capable of transmitting
				  disease to humans; and
(b) The
				  sealed material:
(i) Is decontaminated or
				  disinfected during the encapsulation process; and
(ii) Remains sealed under physical
				  stress.
(12)
				  "Incineration" means a process during which an article is burned:
(a) In an incinerator that meets the
				  requirements of the Department of the Environment as set forth in COMAR
				  26.11.08;
(b) To carbonized or
				  mineralized ash that is capable of disposal as solid waste; and
(c) So the article is rendered incapable of
				  transmitting disease to humans.
(13) "Infectious agent" means an organism,
				  including viral, rickettsial, bacterial, fungal, protozoal, or helminthic, that
				  is capable of producing infection or infectious disease in humans.
(14) "Interment" means burial in a location,
				  other than a landfill, that is approved for that purpose under applicable
				  law.
(15) "Mechanical destruction"
				  means a physical process that renders an article no longer recognizable as the
				  original article.
(16)
				  "Microbiological laboratory waste" means waste from a microbiological
				  laboratory that:
(a) Contains an infectious
				  agent; and
(b) Includes cultures
				  and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals.
(17) "Occupational exposure" means
				  skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or other
				  potentially infectious materials, that results from the performance of an
				  employee's duties.
(18) "Other
				  potentially infectious material" means:
(a)
				  The following human body fluids:
(i) Amniotic
				  fluid;
(ii) A body fluid that is
				  visibly contaminated with blood;
(iii) A body fluid that cannot be readily
				  identified;
(iv) Cerebrospinal
				  fluid;
(v) Pericardial
				  fluid;
(vi) Peritoneal
				  fluid;
(vii) Pleural
				  fluid;
(viii) Saliva only when
				  dental procedures are performed;
(ix) Semen;
(x) Synovial fluid; and
(xi) Vaginal secretions;
(b) A tissue or organ from a living or dead
				  human, not including intact skin, that has not been preserved by a chemical
				  additive or preservative;
(c) The
				  following human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, or hepatitis C virus
				  related items:
(i) HIV containing cell,
				  tissue, or organ cultures;
(ii)
				  HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C containing media or other solutions;
				  and
(iii) Blood, organs, or other
				  tissues; and
(d)
				  Microbiological laboratory waste.
(19) "Person" means an individual, receiver,
				  trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, or representative of any
				  kind and any partnership, firm, association, corporation, or other
				  entity.
(20) "Sanitary sewer"
				  means:
(a) A liquid waste piping network
				  leading to a sewerage system permitted under Environment Article, §
												9-204, Annotated Code of
				  Maryland; or
(b) An on-site
				  sewerage system permitted under Environment Article, §
												9-204, Annotated Code of
				  Maryland.
(21) "Sharps"
				  means an object contaminated by blood or other potentially infectious material
				  that can cut or penetrate the skin, including but not limited to:
(a) A broken capillary tube;
(b) Broken glass;
(c) An exposed end of dental wire;
(d) A needle;
(e) A surgical instrument; and
(f) A syringe with an attached
				  sharp.
(22) "Special
				  medical waste" means:
(a) Liquid or semiliquid
				  blood or another potentially infectious material;
(b) A contaminated article that releases
				  liquid or semiliquid blood or another potentially infectious material if
				  compressed;
(c) An article that
				  contains dried blood or another potentially infectious material and is capable
				  of releasing the blood or material during handling;
(d) Pathological and microbiological waste
				  containing blood or another potentially infectious material;
(e) Contaminated sharps; and
(f) Anatomical material.