How to Clean Up Bodily Fluid Spills in Restaurants

Bodily fluid incidents are among the more unfortunate but common health and safety issues that restaurants encounter. Proper readiness for clean-up is vital for restaurants, as employees and customers can file complaints with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration if violations occur.

OSHA standards are designed to protect workers under the assumption that all bodily fluids contain possible pathogens that are harmful to your health. Moving forward with caution and embracing OSHA standards can protect you, your workers and your customers from such risks.

Bodily Fluids Cleanup Procedure

Step 1) Wear gloves prior to touching the substances (vomit, blood, etc.) or the immediate surrounding area. Use disposable shoe covers, gowns, and bonnets when necessary.

Step 2) Sprinkle fluid solidifier over liquids. Then use a biohazard scoop to transfer the substance into a biohazard bag.

Step 3) Remove existing residue with a disposable towel. Then clean affected area and immediate surroundings with germicidal wipes.

*For absorbent surfaces like carpet, use a factory-approved carpet shampoo for clean-up. Use a cleaner with anti-microbial properties, and repeat cleaning process multiple times for certain disinfectant.

*For outdoor incidents, relocate customers to a different area. Hard surfaces (like tables, concrete, etc.) can be treated with the methods mentioned above, but natural surfaces like grass or gravel will require rinsing with a germicidal wash and water.

Step 4) Dispose of towel, wipes, gloves and other used materials in the biohazard bag. Seal bag with a twist tie, then dispose of immediately in an outdoor trash receptacle.

Step 5) Wash hands thoroughly as soon as possible. Hands should be washed under warm water for at least 20 seconds with vigorous attention to between the finger, backs of hands and fingernails.

Necessary Materials

The materials necessary for OSHA approved cleanup of bodily fluids are available in kits such as these. Since restaurants typically deal with multiple bodily fluid incidents each year, multi-use kits are recommended for ultimate preparation in the event of a medical emergency.