| Exemptions: | The following are exempt from the labeling requirements of this chapter: |
| • Individual containers placed in an appropriately labeled secondary container. |
| • Regulated waste that has been decontaminated. |
| • Containers of blood, blood components, or blood products that are labeled with their contents and have been released for transfusion or other clinical use. |
| • Extracted teeth, gallstones, kidney stones, or other tissues and body substances that are given to patients. |
You must: • Attach appropriate labels to:
– Containers used to store, transport, or ship blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) including:
▪ Refrigerators
▪ Freezers.
– Sharps containers
– Contaminated equipment
– Laundry bags and containers
– Specimen containers
– Regulated waste containers.
• Make sure that labels:
▪ Include the following symbol:
▪ Are all or mostly fluorescent orange or orange-red with lettering and symbol in a contrasting color
▪ Are attached to the container by string, wire, adhesive, or other method so they can't become lost or accidentally removed.
| Note: | Red bags or red containers may be substituted for labels as long as they're: |
| • Covered in the exposure control plan |
| • Communicated to all affected employees (including employees of laundry services, disposal services, and transport companies) whether they're your employees or not. |
| • The label does not always need to be attached to each individual container. |
| • For example, a cart carrying specimen containers could be labeled, rather than each individual container. |
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. 04-12-070, § 296-823-14025, filed 6/1/04, effective 9/1/04; 03-09-110, § 296-823-14025, filed 4/22/03, effective 8/1/03.]