Environmental Cleaning
Environmental cleaning is an essential part of standard precautions. Standard precautions are work practices that constitute the first-line approach to infection prevention and control (IPC) in all healthcare settings. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are often preventable through the use of standard precautions and targeted interventions that reduce the risk of the transmission of pathogens.
A residential aged care facility's environmental cleaning strategy is an essential part of its IPC programme. It should include implementing risk-based strategies to ensure the environment is clean and hygienic. This reduces the risk of transmission of infection to residents, employees, and visitors.
Additional resources have been developed specifically to support the important role cleaning employees play in health service organisations and aged care services, to provide a safe environment for residents, employees, and visitors.