Who determines which disinfectants are appropriate?
Appropriate or approved disinfectants are determined by the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), which oversees the registration of anti-microbial products. A list is provided by the Office of Pesticide Programs that provides the most recent information available from the EPA on registered anti-microbials. What disinfectants does OSHA recommend? • OSHA requires that work surfaces be cleaned with an “appropriate disinfectant.” Appropriate disinfectants include a diluted bleach solution and EPA-registered antimicrobial products such as tuberculocides (List B), sterilants (List A), products registered against HIV/HBV (List E), and Sterilants/High Level Disinfectants for equipment sterilization. • Fresh solutions of diluted household bleach made up every 24 hours are also considered appropriate for disinfection of environmental surfaces and for decontamination of sites. Contact time for bleach is generally considered to be the time it takes the product to air dry. • NOTE: Products r
