Why Spring Cleaning Matters for USP 800 Compliance
USP 800 establishes strict guidelines for handling hazardous drugs to protect healthcare workers, patients, and the environment from contamination and exposure. Over time, workspaces can accumulate hazardous drug residue, outdated materials, and procedural inefficiencies. A thorough spring cleaning ensures:
• Reduction of Contamination Risks: Regular deep cleaning of storage, preparation, and administration areas minimizes exposure to HD residue.
• Updated Safety Equipment: Check personal protective equipment (PPE), engineering controls, and containment devices to confirm they are in good condition and compliant with current regulations.
• Proper Storage & Labeling: Ensure all HDs are stored according to requirements, and labels are legible and up to date.
• Review & Train Staff: A spring refresher course for staff on USP 800 best practices can reinforce proper procedures and address any gaps in compliance.
Steps for a USP 800 Spring Cleaning
1. Conduct a Hazardous Drug Inventory Audit
• Dispose of expired or unused HDs per regulatory guidelines.
• Reorganize inventory to ensure proper separation of hazardous and non-hazardous drugs.
2. Deep Clean Workspaces
• Use proper cleaning agents designed to deactivate, decontaminate, and disinfect surfaces exposed to HDs.
• Pay extra attention to areas prone to contamination, such as preparation counters, storage cabinets, and transport carts.
3. Inspect PPE & Engineering Controls
• Replace gloves, gowns, masks, and other PPE that show signs of wear.
• Verify that engineering controls like ventilated enclosures and negative pressure rooms are functioning properly.
4. Reinforce Staff Training
• Conduct refresher training sessions on handling, cleaning, and spill management.
• Update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to reflect any recent regulatory changes.
5. Check Waste Disposal Procedures
• Ensure hazardous drug waste is segregated and disposed of following EPA and USP 800 guidelines.
• Review spill kits and restock as necessary.
How ChemoGLO Can Help
At ChemoGLO, we specialize in contamination detection and compliance solutions that help healthcare facilities stay USP 800 compliant. Our easy detection and cleaning products make it simple to identify hazardous drug residue and ensure complete decontamination.
• Step 1: Detect – ChemoGLO is the most widely used wipe contamination kit in the United States. Our advanced wipe kit simultaneously detects 26 different drugs—19 hazardous and 7 hormone drugs—helping you quickly identify contamination. This streamlined approach saves time, reduces costs, and ensures thorough residue detection by revealing invisible HD contamination in high-risk areas.
• Step 2: Clean – The HDClean wiping system is the only laboratory tested cleaning system proven to decontaminate surfaces by removing hazardous drug surface contamination. Developed to address daily removal of hazardous drug surface contamination in preparation and administration areas such as clean rooms, biological safety cabinets (BSC), laminar flow hoods, counters, infusion chairs, and IV poles and pumps. It's an easy two step wiping procedure using towelettes that effectively decontaminate surfaces by removing hazardous drug surface contamination. HDClean has been laboratory tested to remove surface contamination of a wide variety of hazardous drugs, including chemotherapy drugs, hormone agents, controlled substances, and drugs of abuse.
Spring is a season of renewal—make it a season of safety too! Incorporate ChemoGLO into your cleaning routine to create a healthier, safer work environment for everyone.
Need assistance? Contact ChemoGLO today to ensure your facility remains compliant and contamination-free.