Section 246-500-020. Contact with human remains.

(1) Funeral directors, embalmers, medical examiners, coroners, health care providers, and others directly handling or touching human remains must:

(a) Wash hands and other exposed skin surfaces with soap and water or equivalent immediately and thoroughly after contact with human remains, blood, or body fluids;

(b) Use barrier precautions if a procedure involves potential contact with blood, body fluids, or internal tissues of the deceased;

(c) Not eat, drink, or smoke in areas where handling of human remains or body fluids takes place;

(d) Use reasonable precautions to prevent spillage of body fluids during transfer and transport of human remains including, when necessary:

(i) Containing, wrapping, or pouching with materials appropriate to the condition of the human remains; and

(ii) Obtaining approval from the coroner or medical examiner prior to pouching any human remains under their jurisdiction;

(e) Wash hands immediately after gloves are removed;

(f) Take precautions to prevent injuries by needles, scalpels, instruments, and equipment during use, cleaning, and disposal;

(g) Properly disinfect or discard protective garments and gloves immediately after use;

(h) Properly disinfect all surfaces, instruments, and equipment after contact with human remains, blood, or body fluids;

(i) Provide appropriate means for disposing of body fluids, blood, tissues, and wastes or for retaining them for final disposition with the body.

(i) All autopsy rooms, morgues, preparation rooms, and other places where human remains are handled must be equipped with impervious containers with disposable, impervious liners and tightly fitting closures.

(ii) Body fluids, blood, tissues, and wastes removed from human remains must be kept with the body or disposed in accordance with local ordinances and other applicable laws and rules for infectious waste.

(iii) A sewage system approved by the local health officer or the department may be used for the disposal of blood and other body fluids.

(iv) All containers and liners used to receive solid or fluid materials removed from human remains must be cleaned and disinfected immediately after use, interred with the body, or disposed in accordance with local ordinances and other applicable laws and rules for infectious waste.

(2) Persons responsible for transfer or transport of human remains must clean and disinfect equipment and the vehicle if soiled with body fluids or any other portion of human remains.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050 and 18.39.215. WSR 06-17-182, § 246-500-020, filed 8/23/06, effective 9/23/06.]

RCW 43.20.050 and 18.39.215. WSR 06-17-182, § 246-500-020, filed 8/23/06, effective 9/23/06.