Cleaning of Labour Room

Special attention in cleaning labour room

Other than following Standard Practice for cleaning, following issues need special attention

• Kit for managing body fluid and blood spills should be readily available and used.
• Chlorine Solution should be prepared at least thrice in a day
• Cotton, gauze and sanitary pads soaked in blood must be placed in the Yellow coloured bags and disposed of by incineration / burial.
• Facility for sluicing should be available next door.
• Waste should be removed at least thrice daily.
• Placentae must be carried in a closed box / bag and disposed of by deep burial /incineration.
• A special need in the labour room is the disposal of abortus and dead foeti. Abortus must be disposed by incineration or by deep burial after placing in a bag and adding lime / phenyl to discourage animal scavengers.

General Rules

• Whenever any equipment from the outside is brought into the labour room, wipe all equipment surfaces down with HLD before bringing them into the room
• Cleaning sequence

• Always clean the labour room before cleaning the connected passages and rooms
• When cleaning the labour room proceed in a top-to-down sequence i.e., ceiling based equipment first, walls, then floor based equipment and lastly the floor. When cleaning the floor, begin at the end farthest from the door and move towards the door (in to out). The cleaning staff should always move from clean to unclean areas and never vice versa

• Apply the following general rules to facilitate fast and easy cleaning:

• Minimise the numbers of equipment
• Minimise the number of horizontal surfaces
• Provide smooth finishes and minimum joints in surfaces
• Round off corners wherever possible for easy cleaning access

• Equipment and environment surfaces that have become rough should be repaired/replaced
• Soiling with blood/body fluids should be cleaned as soon as possible
• Items that are not regularly required in the labour room should not be stored there. Materials that are used at other locations should not be stored in the labour room
• A broom should not be used in the labour room. Use a dust pan and a piece of stiff plastic/cardboard to gather particulate debris from the floor. All cleaning should be done by wet mopping/wiping technique
• When picking up sharp items from the floor e.g., dropped needles, use a forceps to hold it. Do not pick up sharps by hand
• Do not use domestic vacuum cleaners in the labour room
• Always use the recommended cleaning/mopping technique
• Never mix any two disinfectants or disinfectant with soap
• During cleaning inspect all areas for water seepage and report immediately. Mop the affected area with HLD at least once a day until the problem is resolved
• Use separate dedicated mops for

• Floor and ceiling based equipment e.g., labour table, lights, trolleys etc.
• Floors and walls
• Use colour coding (one colour for each type a & b) to prevent accidental exchange

• Labour room walls may be cleaned 2-3 times a week. Clean as soon as possible if visible dust is present and whenever soiling with blood/body fluids occurs.

Daily Routine Cleaning and Disinfection for Labour Rooms

The labour room and connected passages and rooms should be cleaned at least twice a day at fixed times. At other times spot cleaning of visibly soiled areas and cleaning of blood/body fluid spills should be done as soon as possible when soiling occurs.

• Use an HLD. Use the same dilution as used for OT cleaning
• Wear utility gloves. Change the gloves when indicated
• Perform all cleaning by wet mopping/wiping
• Daily morning wet clean all surfaces as follows:
• Prepare all cleaning material and wear clean utility gloves
• Wipe all switches on the wall, the door handles
• Wipe all equipment beginning at the top and moving downwards. Clean the sides and legs also
• Clean all trays, bottles and sterile containers on the trolley
• Clean the equipment in the new-born baby corner. Place clean covers on the equipment
• Check all surfaces – especially horizontal surfaces – for visible dust and ensure all such dust is removed
• Wash the hand wash basin with soap and water. Clean the soap and antiseptic bottles. Replace them if empty
• Check BMW bins for presence of proper colour coded waste bags. Add bags to the bin if required. Check whether the sharps waste container is available and ready for use
• Clean the floor last, beginning farthest from the door and moving towards it
• Biomedical Waste : Remove BMW at least thrice a day or when the waste container is 3/4ths full.

Cleaning after a delivery

• Begin cleaning as soon as possible
• Wear utility gloves. Wear a gown and goggles if splashing is expected
• Clean all blood/body fluid spills
• Ensure BMW is discarded into the correct colour coded bag
• Remove soiled linen carefully and put it in a waterproof container/bag
• Remove any instruments used in the delivery and send/transport them for cleaning and sterilisation
• Change the utility gloves and wet wipe the equipment used in the delivery (i.e., table, IV stand, stool, etc.) with an HLD
• Wet mop the floor around the labour table with an HLD
• Labour room slippers should be washed with soap and water every evening and when they are visibly soiled/dirty
• Soiled gowns used during delivery, soiled goggles, soiled footwear should be collected separately and disinfected by immersion in chlorine solution (500-1000 ppm) for 5-10 min) followed by a plain water rinse before washing them with soap water
• Cleaning after all deliveries are over
• Perform the steps mentioned for "cleaning after a delivery"
• Perform the steps mentioned for daily morning cleaning
• Keep the labour room closed after the final cleaning.

Detailed Wash-down of the Labour Room

Perform detailed wash-down of the labour room at least twice a month.

Source: Guidelines For Implementation Of "KAYAKALP" Initiative