What Is a Biohazard Kit Used For?
What is a Biohazard Kit Used For?
Biological hazards are substances that pose a threat to the health of people and animals. Biohazards like blood, saliva, or vomit have the potential to carry diseases that can infect those they come into contact with.
Following the global Covid-19 pandemic, we are more aware than ever of the potential for contamination through bodily fluids and the possibly disastrous effects resulting from this. We know that simply wiping a table down with a cloth isn’t enough to remove harmful residue that can remain infectious for days.
As for disinfecting surfaces to neutralise Covid-19, a surface sanitiser is ideal. But when it comes to cleaning up more substantial biological hazards, a biohazard kit is required. A biohazard kit will allow a person to remove the biohazard and disinfect the area without leaving a trace of anything harmful. So what is a biohazard spill kit used for?
A biohazard disposal kit should be used to clean up the following:
- Blood
- Vomit
- Urine
- Faeces
- Saliva or mucus
- Semen
The biohazard cleaning kit should also be used to remove contaminated materials. For example, if a person cuts themself on a piece of metal, this should be removed together with any blood instead of being thrown in the general waste so as not to risk cross-contamination. Other materials could be:
- Broken glass
- Needles or syringes
- Clothing
- Food
When would you use a biohazard kit and not other cleaning equipment?
A biohazard kit is sometimes called a biohazard body fluid spill kit because it is often used to handle liquid biohazards like blood. Cleaning up a liquid presents a higher risk than a solid because of the way a liquid behaves. It has a much higher chance of moving, spilling, splashing, or evaporating and it generally requires more cleaning material to deal with.
Non-biohazardous liquids are often cleaned up with a mop. But even using a disinfectant to mop up spillages won’t ensure that traces are fully removed, meaning there is the possibility of cross-contamination next time the mop is used. This is a risk that cannot be taken with biohazards.
A biohazard spill kit should always contain a sachet of super absorbent powder. This is a powder that can be sprinkled over a liquid, like urine, which will absorb all of the moisture it touches in a matter of seconds. Transforming a liquid into a solid will drastically decrease the chances of spreading the harmful material when transporting it into the biohazard bag for safe disposal. Not only this, but it also stops the chance of minute droplets splashing or flicking onto people or surfaces that you might not even notice when cleaning the area.
A biohazard clean up kit also ensures that no traces of the harmful material are left at the scene by providing disposables for all equipment that may come into contact with the biohazard. A biohazard kit comes with a disposable scoop and scraper to remove the liquid-turned solid, as well as gloves, an apron, and a wipe. This means that there is no need to sterilise tools or clothing afterwards as everything goes into the biohazard bag and the surface is disinfected with spray.
A biohazard body fluid cleanup kit is a necessary item wherever the possibility of a biohazard spill is present. Find out about the importance of biohazard kits in our blog posts on veterinary cleaning protocols and infection prevention and control in childcare & education settings.
What is a Biohazard Kit Used For?
Watch our video below for more information on what a biohazard kit is used for:
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