How HC Programs’ QA Requirements Vary

Hygienically Clean certifications are achieved through:

Attainment of cleanliness levels verified by microbial testing
Documentation of Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Facility inspection that approves this documentation and observes evidence of BMP implementation

Tables below list required BMPs for textile services to be certified as:

Quality assurance (QA) documentation must explain how each BMP is performed, i.e., how the facility complies with each BMP.

	HC	HCH	HC Food Safety	HC Food Service
Plant Facilities
Functional separation of soiled and clean areas	X	X
Equipment list, maintenance, calibration	X	X	X	X
Cross contamination prevention			X	X
Pest control plan	X	X	X	X
Housekeeping
Equipment cleaning, care	X	Covered in OSHA requirements	X	X
Cleaning of work surfaces, stations, slings	X	Covered in OSHA requirements	X	X
Cleaning of carts (customer, internal, any other)	X	X	X	X
Cart liners			X	X
Cleaning supply selection, measurement, use	X	X	X	X
Cleaning schedule	X	X	X	X
Laundry Processing/Procedures
Soiled linen handling	X	X	X	X
Wash formulas	X	X	X	X
Hot-water washing	X	X	X	X
Low-temperature water washing	X	X
Use of disinfectants, e.g. chlorine	X	X	X	X
Final pH	X	X	X	X
Extraction	X	X	X	X
Drying	X	X	X	X
Garment processing			X	X
Transportation	X	X	X	X
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP)			X	X
OSHA Compliance
Hazard communication required practices	X	X	X	X
Hazard communication compliance advisory	X	X	X	X
Bloodborne pathogens		X
Hepatitis B vaccine declination		X
Facility Inspections
Initial qualification	X	X	X	X
Triennial inspection	X	X	X	X
Operational flow chart confirmation			X	X
ATP Testing of Hard Surfaces			X	X
Microbial Testing
Initial qualification	X	X	X	X
Significant process change	X	X	X	X
Optional	X	X	X	X
Non-compliance	X	X	X	X
Minimum performance, RODAC, cfu per square decimeter, quarterly	≤ 20	≤ 20	≤ 50	≤ 50
USP 62 specified microorganism test, semi-annual	Absent	Absent	Absent	Absent