37.106.331    MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ALL HEALTH CARE FACILITIES: LAUNDRY AND BEDDING

(1) If a health care facility processes its laundry on the facility site, it must:

(a) use rooms solely for laundry purposes;

(b) equip the laundry room with at least one mechanical washer and hot air tumble dryer, handwashing facilities, mechanical ventilation to the outside, a fresh air supply, and a hot water supply system which supplies the washer with water of at least 160�F (71�C) during each use. If the laundry water temperature is less than 160�F, chemicals and detergent suitable to the water temperature and the manufacturer's recommended product time of exposure must be utilized.

(c) sort and store soiled laundry in an area separate from that used to sort and store clean laundry;

(d) provide well maintained carts or other containers impervious to moisture to transport laundry, keeping those used for soiled laundry separate from those used for clean laundry;

(e) dry all bed linen, towels, and washcloths in a manner that protects against contamination;

(f) protect clean laundry from contamination; and

(g) ensure that facility staff handling laundry cover their clothes while working with soiled laundry, use separate clean covering for their clothes while handling clean laundry, and wash their hands both after working with soiled laundry and before they handle clean laundry.

(2) If laundry is cleaned off-site, the health care facility must utilize a commercial laundry which satisfies the requirements stated in (1)(a) through (g).

(3) A health care facility with beds must:

(a) keep each resident bed dressed in clean bed linen in good condition;

(b) keep a supply of clean bed linen on hand sufficient to change beds often enough to keep them clean, dry, and free from odors;

(c) supply each resident at all times with clean towels and washcloths;

(d) provide each resident bed with a moisture-proof mattress or a moisture-proof mattress cover and mattress pad; and

(e) provide each resident with enough blankets to maintain warmth while sleeping.

History: 50-5-103, MCA; IMP, 50-5-103, 50-5-204, MCA; NEW, 1984 MAR p. 973, Eff. 6/29/84; TRANS, from DHES, 2002 MAR p. 185; AMD, 2013 MAR p. 2146, Eff. 11/15/13