Cleaning up after patients is an important job. Environmental services employees are tasked with cleaning up bodily fluids as well as the usual toilet and floor. Body fluids can make others sick if not clean up using Universal Precautions.

OSHA works with facilities to make sure employees are safe. Employees cleaning up after patients should be provided with gloves, absorbents, tongs and other tools that allow them to clean up body fluids without getting it on their skin. Proper disposal of sharps such as needles is also important. Needle sticks can lead to serious illnesses.

Universal precautions are designed to keep people safe while they are performing the duties of their jobs. Rules like not reusing towels and disinfecting buckets and mops aids in keeping staff safe as well as patients and others working in the area.