New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 8 - HEALTH › Chapter 41 - ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT SERVICES; MOBILE INTENSIVE CARE PROGRAMS, SPECIALTY CARE TRANSPORT SERVICES AND AIR MEDICAL SERVICES › Subchapter 4 - SPECIFIC VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS: SCTUS, AMUS AND TRANSPORT-APPROVED MICUS › Section 8:41-4.2 - Vehicle sanitation

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The interior of the
				vehicle, including all areas utilized for storage, and the equipment and supplies
				within the vehicle, shall be kept clean and sanitary. A disinfectant shall be
				routinely applied to all contact surfaces. The floor, walls and equipment shall be
				free of stains, dirt, debris and odors and insect infestation.
(b) All interior surfaces shall be covered with
				stain resistant material that is impervious to blood, vomitus, grease, oil and
				common cleaning materials.
(c) Blankets
				and mattresses shall be kept clean and in good repair. All mattresses shall have
				protective, waterproof and stain resistant covers.
(d) Clean linens shall be utilized in the
				transport of stretcher patients. All linens shall be changed after each patient.
				Disposable linens may be utilized, so long as they are disposed of after each
				patient.
(e) There shall be adequate,
				clean, dustproof storage for clean linens.
(f) Plastic bags and/or covered containers or
				compartments shall be provided and shall be utilized for all soiled supplies
				(including linens and blankets) carried within the vehicle.
(g) In order to protect the safety of the general
				public and emergency response personnel, after a vehicle has been occupied by or
				used to transport a patient known or suspected to have a communicable disease the
				vehicle shall, prior to transportation of another patient, be cleaned and all
				contact surfaces, equipment and blankets shall be disinfected according to the
				applicable standards set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
				(OSHA) at
				29 C.F.R.
				1910.120, incorporated herein by reference, and
				adopted in New Jersey by the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health Act,
				N.J.S.A. 36:6A-25 et seq., incorporated herein by reference.
(h) Where possible, only single-service implements
				shall be inserted into the patient's nose or mouth. These single-service items shall
				be wrapped and properly stored and disposed of after utilization. Non-disposable
				patient care equipment shall be decontaminated after each patient utilization in a
				manner consistent with the sending or receiving health care facility's requirements
				for equipment decontamination. No airway, tube, catheter or other similar device
				shall be utilized on more than one patient unless first sterilized in accordance
				with manufacturer's recommendations.
(i)
				Each vehicle shall be equipped with at least one container for the disposal of
				contaminated sharps, such as a Sharps[R] container, that is rigid, leak-proof,
				puncture-proof and of a size large enough to accommodate needles and syringes up to
				10 inches in length and an inch and a half in diameter.
1. Consistent with
				7:26-3A.14, disposal containers shall
				have a water-resistant label affixed to or printed on the outside of the container,
				which shall include the words "MEDICAL WASTE" or "INFECTIOUS WASTE," or display the
				universal biohazard symbol as shown at
				29 C.F.R.
				1910.145(f)(8)(ii).
2. Disposal containers shall be wiped with a
				suitable disinfectant if blood or other bodily fluids are spilled on the outside of
				the container.
3. Disposal containers
				shall be disposed of in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and/or
				regulations.