Sterilization

(A) When Necessary. If an article of bedding and upholstered furniture is repaired or renovated for any private or public hospital, jail or other institution or which has been used by any person suffering from an infectious or contagious disease, it must be sterilized and the permit number of the sterilizer must appear on the label. (B) Methods of Sterilization. (1) Hot Air. The apparatus shall be so constructed as to safely produce a temperature of at least 230°F and shall be equipped with automatic control to maintain such temperature. Articles sterilized by this method shall be so treated for a period of not less than 2½ hours and shall be so separated from each other during such process as to allow free circulation of hot air for at least four inches on all sides thereof. There shall be attached to such sterilizer an accurate recording thermometer and a mercury in glass indicating thermometer accurate to 0.5°F. Upon each day that the apparatus is used, the licensee shall cause to be placed upon the recording thermometer a chart which had not been previously used and dated with the year, the month and the day of the month. Each licensee shall cause the recording thermometer to be checked against the indicating thermometer during the 2½ hour period of sterilization and shall record or cause to be recorded upon the chart the readings of each such thermometer and the time of observation. Each licensee shall keep such charts on file for a period of not less than six months upon the premises covered by the license. (2) Steam Pressure. Material may be sterilized by treatment by live steam at a pressure of 15 pounds for a period of 30 minutes or at a pressure of 20 pounds for 20 minutes. The chamber shall be steam-tight and shall be equipped with a steam gauge so located as to be easily read. (3) Streaming Steam. Material may be sterilized by two applications of streaming steam maintained for a period of one hour each with an interval between treatment of at least six hours and not more than 24 hours. The chamber shall have outlet valves at the top and bottom which shall be kept open to prevent pressure in the chamber. The room in which the chamber is situated shall be steam-tight and provisions shall be made for the removal of condensed steam. (4) Sterilization of Feathers. New feather must be washed with a solution suitable for cleansing and subsequently be rinsed until free from the cleansing solution. All feathers shall be washed, rinsed and sterilized either by live steam or by dry heat. All feathers shall also be put through a process to remove dust. This method can also be used to sterilize secondhand feathers and down. (5) Sodium Cyanide and Sodium Chlorate Brick Form Method. Not less than 37% of sodium cyanide and not less than 10% of sodium chlorate shall be used in this method. The chamber shall be airtight and shall have an inlet and an outlet, and the outlet shall be equipped with a fan to expel the gas. When 1¼ lb. brick is used, sterilization shall take place for three hours; 2½ lb. brick, 12 hours; five lb. brick, 12 hours; ten lb. brick, 24 hours. CAUTION: Sodium cyanide and sodium chlorate shall not be mixed in liquid state, since it may cause fire or explosion. This process is not to be used for sterilizing new feathers. (6) Renovation of Secondhand Feather Pillows. An ultraviolet irradiation process together with ozone gas, may be used to sterilize the contents of secondhand feather pillows for renovation only, i.e., not for sale but for return to the owner. The feathers must be removed from the old ticking and sterilized in the loose state. The loose feathers must be agitated, dusted and exposed to an effective concentration and intensity of ultraviolet rays for at least four minutes, with an additional exposure to ozone gas of at least two minutes. The contents of each renovated pillow must be sterilized separately. After sterilization, the feathers should be enclosed in a new ticking, unless the old ticking has been laundered. The ultraviolet tubes should be kept clean and should be replaced periodically in order to maintain effective radiation intensities. This process shall not be approved for use in establishments, where there is a possibility of formation of poisonous phosgene gas by the interaction of ozone with carbon tetrachloride or other chemical compounds, unless adequate mechanical exhaust ventilation is provided, so that these vapors will be vented to the outside air. This method shall not be used to sterilize new feathers and down. (C) Danger Warning. All sterilization chambers using an approved gas method shall have a warning sign in letters not less than four inches high, on the door, as follows: DANGER -- DO NOT OPEN -- POISON GAS. (D) Records. All persons operating sterilization processes, who sterilize material for others, shall keep an accurate record of the names of such persons, the amount and kind of material sterilized and the date of sterilization. All records required to be kept shall be open to inspection by any officer, agent or inspector of the Department of Public Health for a period of two years. (E) Other Processes. Other processes of sterilization not specifically enumerated herein may be approved by the Department. (F) Chambers Not in Use. All sterilization chambers when not in use shall be clear, and not be used for storage or any other purposes. There shall be clear access to these chambers at all times.