1. Scope
1.1
This Standard describes the procedures to be used for the safe reprocessing of reusable medical and surgical supplies prior to sterilization or disinfection.
Note: Hospital disinfection can be understood better and practised more effectively if it is divided into three categories based upon the degree of risk of infection involved with the use of the disinfected materials.
(a) Critical items are introduced beneath the surface of the body or attached to other objects so used, eg, forceps, scalpel blades, endoscopes. Sterilization is essential.
(b) Semicritical Objects come in contact with intact mucous membrane, rarely penetrating body surfaces. Sterilization is desirable but not essential. A reasonable objective, therefore, is to employ a procedure which can be expected to destroy ordinary vegetative bacteria, most fungal spores, tubercle bacilli, and the small nonlipid viruses. Examples of semicritical objects include endotracheal and aspirator tubes, bronchoscopes, thermometers, cystoscopes, and respiratory therapy equipment.
(c) Noncritical materials consist of a wide variety of objects, eg, facemasks, ECG electrodes, X-ray machines, as well as surfaces that do not ordinarily come in contact with mucous membranes. Thus their use carries relatively little risk of transmitting infection.
1.2
This Standard does not propose techniques for the sterilization of reusable hospital supplies. Requirements applicable to sterilization by the ethylene oxide and steam processes are given in CSA Standards CAN3-Z314.2 and CAN3-Z314.3.
1.3
This Standard addresses general reprocessing principles for all types of reusable medical and surgical supplies. It is recognized that specialized departments eg, respiratory therapy, cardiac catheterization labs, endoscopy units, etc, may require additional procedures specific to their departments.
1.4
This Standard does not deal with any aspect of the consequences of improper reprocessing or sterilization practices.
1.5
This Standard does not propose techniques for enforcing the recommendations of this document.
1.6
This Standard does not apply to single-use/disposable items.
1.7
In this Standard, shall indicates a mandatory requirement; should indicates a recommendation, or that which is advised but not mandatory. Notes accompanying clauses do not include mandatory or alternative requirements. The purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material that is not properly a part of the Standard. Notes to figures and tables are considered to be part of the figure or table and are written as mandatory requirements.
