Decontamination - Lab sterilizers and washer disinfectors (SHTM 01-02)

This series covers standards, technical guidance, operational requirements, and testing and validation protocols used within the laboratory setting. It is intended as a guide with the intended audience including, Laboratory Managers / Safety Managers, Decontamination Leads, Estates / Facilities personnel, Users responsible for the management of laboratory decontamination equipment, Waste Managers, technical personnel with appropriate training and experience such as Competent Person (Decontamination) (CP(D)), Competent Person (Pressure Systems) (CP(PS)), Authorising Person (Decontamination) (AP(D)), Microbiologists (Decontamination) & Authorising Engineers (Decontamination) (AE(D)s). It will also be of interest to Infection Prevention & Control personnel (e.g. Infection Prevention & Control Nurse / Doctor / Manager), Architects, and Planners, Manufacturers / Suppliers, Procurement personnel and others in both the public and private sectors. Appropriate experience is required to understand and / or to implement the relevant parts of this guidance.

• Part A: management and operation
• Part B: test equipment / methods
• Part C: sterilization by steam
• Part D: cleaning and disinfection

This series replaces some parts of SHTM 2010, SHTM 2030 and SHTM 2031 guidance which was published in 2001 but provides a more detailed guidance to assist in the compliance with other relevant guidance such as HSE ‘Safe working and prevention of infection in clinical laboratories and similar facilities: 2003’ and ‘Biological agents: Managing the risks in laboratories and healthcare premises: 2005’.