Anyone in facilities management that processes laundry (either in-house or by outsourcing) needs to be familiar with Australia/New Zealand Laundry Practice AS/NZS 4146:2000 – guidelines that aim to ensure consistent and safe infection control and disinfection of soiled linen in Australian and New Zealand laundries.

When it comes to disinfection, the standards say that either thermal disinfection or chemical disinfection must take place for linen to be adequately disinfected – and then, validation of some kind must always take place.

Thermal disinfection involves washing at a minimum of 65C for a minimum of 10 minutes, or at least 71C for not less than 3 minutes. When linen is heat-sensitive, chemical disinfection can be used – a process that uses chemicals to provide disinfection to the same point as thermal disinfection.

When dealing with healthcare laundry, the importance of separation during this process can’t be overemphasised. It’s crucial that dirty linen is separated from clean linen – whether you outsource your laundry or do it in-house, dirty and clean linen must be kept separate at each and every stage of the process. Head here to find out about barrier laundry technology.

Now you know what the standards are, how can you be sure your equipment and facilities are up to scratch? Even if you’re outsourcing your laundry, are you confident these targets are being met? If you’re concerned you might not be meeting the standards or simply want to confirm you are, contact us to chat through your needs.