PDFWAC 388-78A-3040
Laundry.
(1) The assisted living facility must provide laundry and linen services on the premises, or by commercial laundry.
(2) The assisted living facility must handle, clean, and store linen according to acceptable methods of infection control. The assisted living facility must:
(a) Provide separate areas for handling clean laundry and soiled laundry;
(b) Ensure clean laundry is not processed in, and does not pass through, areas where soiled laundry is handled;
(c) Ensure areas where clean laundry is stored are not exposed to contamination from other sources;
(d) Ensure all staff persons wear gloves and use other appropriate infection control practices when handling soiled laundry; and
(e) Have a utility sink and a table or counter for folding clean laundry.
(3) The assisted living facility must use washing machines that have a continuous supply of hot water with a temperature of 140°F measured at the washing machine intake, that automatically dispenses a chemical sanitizer as specified by the manufacturer, or that employs alternate sanitization methods recommended by the manufacturer.
(4) The assisted living facility or a resident washing an individual resident's personal laundry, separate from other laundry, may wash the laundry at temperatures below 140°F and without the use of a chemical sanitizer.
(5) The assisted living facility must ventilate laundry rooms and areas to the outside of the assisted living facility, including areas or rooms where soiled laundry is held for processing by off site commercial laundry services.
(6) The assisted living facility must locate laundry equipment in rooms other than those used for open food storage, food preparation or food service.
(7) The assisted living facility must provide a laundry area or develop and implement policy and procedure to ensure residents have access to an area where residents' may do their personal laundry that is:
(a) Equipped with:
(i) A utility sink;
(ii) A table or counter for folding clean laundry;
(iii) At least one washing machine and one clothes dryer; and
(iv) Mechanical ventilation to the outside of the assisted living facility.
(b) Arranged to reduce the chances of soiled laundry contaminating clean laundry.
[Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.20 and 74.39A RCW. WSR 20-02-104, § 388-78A-3040, filed 12/31/19, effective 1/31/20. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.20 RCW. WSR 13-13-063, § 388-78A-3040, filed 6/18/13, effective 7/19/13. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.20.090. WSR 06-01-047, § 388-78A-3040, filed 12/15/05, effective 1/15/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.20.090 (2004 c 142 § 19) and chapter 18.20 RCW. WSR 04-16-065, § 388-78A-3040, filed 7/30/04, effective 9/1/04.]