This document provides guidelines for infection control in the funeral industry. It discusses various communicable diseases that funeral workers may encounter, including hepatitis B and C, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and SARS. It emphasizes the importance of treating all human remains as potentially infectious and outlines proper procedures for transporting and preparing bodies. These include placing remains in durable, airtight containers; disinfecting surfaces; and following immunization and personal protective equipment guidelines. The document also covers waste disposal, cleaning/disinfection, and maintaining confidentiality as required by law.

1. Nelson C. Javier

2. Infection control in Mortuary

3. Funeral Industry Infection Control
Guidelines
“Each and every human remains that a
funeral service employee comes into
contact with must be considered
potentially infectious”.

4. Administrative Order no. 2003-003
 Revised Implementing Rule and Regulation of PD
856 Code on Sanitation of the Philippines Chapter
XXl “ Disposal of Dead Persons”

5. Dangerous Communicable Diseases
 Hepatitis B and C
 Rabies
 Invasive group A streptococcal infections
 Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
(e.g. Creutzfeldt-jacob disease or CJD and madcow disease)
 HIV/ AIDS
 Meningiococcemia
 Viral hemorrhagic fever (e.g. African Ebola, Lassa or Marburg
 Yellow fever
 Plaque
 SARS
 Other communicable diseases that shall be declared by the department of
health

6.  The body shall be placed in a plastic or other durable,
airtight container at the point of death and labeled with a
biohazard tag.

7.  The outside of durable, airtight container shall be
immediately and thoroughly disinfected.

8.  Remains must be buried within
12 hours after death.
 But may be transported to a
place of burial by land or sea
for up to 150 km or 4hrs.

9.  The remain shall not be taken to any place of public
assembly and only adult family members may attend any
funeral service.

10. Funeral industry infection control
guidelines
 Frequent hand washing

11. Funeral industry infection control
guidelines
a. Any skin disease or injury should be adequately protected
with gloves or impermeable dressing to avoid
contamination with a patient's body fluids.

12.  Use of PPE ( Personal Protective Equipment )
 Gloves
 Mask
 Eye protection
 Scrub or Gown and apron
 Rubber boots or foot cover
Funeral industry infection control
guidelines

13. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Funeral industry infection control
guidelines

14.  Routine cleaning and disinfecting
surfaces and instrument
Funeral industry infection control
guidelines

15.  Immunization
Funeral industry infection control
guidelines

16. Infection Prevention and Control
 To minimize any post-
mortem growth of
microorganisms, all human
remains should be placed in
a mortuary refrigerator or
freezer as soon as possible
after death

17.  All human remains
should be well
sealed to prevent
leakage of blood
and body
fluids/substances

18. Transport of Human Remains
This involves the recovery of the dead body from the
place of death such as hospital, crime or accident
scene, or house and transport to embalming room.

19. Transport of Human Remains
A. Recommendation for Transport Vehicles
 A transport vehicle should be roadworthy, clean and
compartmentalized.

20.  Wear prescribed and decent/ Acceptable attire.
 Wear Personal Protective Equipment
Transport of Human Remains

21. Transport of Human Remains
 Confidential Information of
the Deceased person

22. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8504
 The Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998”

23. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8504
 ARTICLE VI
CONFIDENTIALITY
 Sec. 30. Medical confidentiality. — All health professionals, medical
instructors, workers, employers, recruitment agencies, insurance
companies, data encoders, and other custodians of any medical record,
file, data, or test results are directed to strictly observe confidentiality in
the handling of all medical information, particularly the identity and
status of persons with HIV.

24. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8504
 ARTICLE VII
Discriminatory Acts and Policies
 Denial of Burial Services – A deceased person who
had AIDS or who was known, suspected or
perceived to be HIV positive shall not be denied
any kind of decent burial services.

25. Human Remains Preparation

26. Waste disposal
 Infectious wastes include:
Sharps (syringes, needles, lancets and scalpel blades)
Human tissue
Human blood and body fluids other than urine or feces
Materials or equipment containing or contaminated with
blood and body fluids
Urine or feces, or materials containing urine or feces
Mortuary Cleaning, Waste Disposal
and Laundering

27. Mortuary Cleaning, Waste Disposal
and Laundering
 The preparation areas including the preparation
table, floor and drains should be washed thoroughly
with detergent and water, rinsed and dried.

28. Mortuary Cleaning, Waste Disposal
and Laundering
 Blood stained fluids and disinfectant
solutions should be well diluted before
discharge into the sewer.

29. Mortuary Cleaning, Waste Disposal
and Laundering
 Human tissue and disposable sharps must
be disposed of appropriately.

30.  Single used PPE must be disposed of as
infectious waste.
Mortuary Cleaning, Waste Disposal
and Laundering

31.  Contaminated re-usable linen should be
placed in a laundry bag for routine
laundering.

32.  On completion of all cleaning and disinfection procedures
and the disposal of waste and laundry, employees should
remove all PPE, avoiding contamination of clothing and
dispose of it into either a clinical waste or laundry bag
before removing gloves.

33. Cleaning and Disinfection of Equipment
 Employees must thoroughly wash and dry hands.
 Washing with anti bacterial soap and disinfection with
70% alcohol

34. Thank you!!!!