Process

• Before and after glove use
• Before touching or handling food
• After toilet use, breaks, or contact with waste/linen/animals
• When hands are visibly dirty

• During procedures with a risk of exposure to blood or body substances (e.g., toileting, urinary catheter care, wound dressing).
• When touching or cleaning equipment or surfaces that may come into contact with blood or body substances.
• When performing blood glucose monitoring or oral suctioning.
• When caring for clients with infections spread by contact, i.e. shingles
• If the support worker has broken skin.

• Waterproof gowns/aprons protect clothing and skin from splashes of blood or body fluids.
• Perform hand hygiene before and after use.
• Gowns must cover the torso, arms, and wrap adequately around the back.
• Remove and dispose of gowns/aprons after completing care.

• Protect against droplet or airborne infections and splashes.
• Use for clients who cough, sneeze, or when performing procedures with risk of exposure.
• Check manufacturer instructions, avoid touching the front of the mask, use for one client only, and discard after use.

• Protects eyes from droplets, aerosols, and splashes.
• Remove by headband/earpieces, clean reusable eyewear after each use, dispose of single-use eyewear after care.

• Perform hand hygiene before contact with devices (e.g., catheters, tracheostomies).
• Wear gloves at a minimum. May require the wearing of an apron. Refer to client care plans for PPE requirements.

• Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
• If no tissue is available, cough/sneeze into the elbow.
• Encourage clients to do the same.
• Dispose of tissues promptly and encourage hand hygiene.

• Clean surfaces according to the risk of contamination using warm water and detergent.
• Use disinfectants when infection is known or suspected.

• Place soiled linen directly into a laundry basket and place it in the client's laundry
• Wear gloves and a disposable gown/apron when handling linen from infected clients.
• Perform hand hygiene after handling linen.
• Store clean linen separately from used linen.

• Select appropriate PPE.
• Wipe small spills immediately; cover larger spills with absorbent material.
• Dispose of contaminated materials and clean with detergent, followed by disinfectant if needed.
• Perform hand hygiene afterwards.
• For clients receiving cytotoxic therapy, refer to the Cytotoxic Therapy Administration process on how to manage body fluid spills. 

•  Flush the affected area with running water and wash with soap.
• Report the incident to the Care Manager and complete an Incident Report.
• Seek medical advice.
• Contaminated clothing should be rinsed, soaked in bleach, and washed separately with hot water and detergent.
• Double-bag contaminated waste before placing it in the client's general waste bins.

• Perform hand hygiene before handling food.
• Use of gloves: The NSW Food Authority does not require food handlers to use gloves.
  • Even when wearing gloves, in many situations it may be preferable to use utensils such as tongs or spoons. 
• Gloves must be removed, discarded and replaced with a new pair in the following circumstances: 
  • before handling food 
  • before handling ready-to-eat food and after handling raw food 
  • after using the toilet
  • coughing
  • sneezing
  • using a handkerchief
  • eating, drinking, or 
  • touching the hair, scalp or body. 

• Keep hot food hot and cold food cold
• Use separate storage, utensils and preparation surfaces for cooked and uncooked foods
• Wash all utensils and preparation surfaces thoroughly with hot water and detergent.

• If you are suffering from diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, sore throat with fever or jaundice, seek medical advice and do not return to work until free of symptoms for 48 hours
• You have infected skin lesions (e.g. infected skin sore, boil, acne or abrasion, or any discharges from the ears, nose or eyes) and seek medical advice
• If you believe any food is unsafe to eat