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RABC –
A systematic approach to hygiene
Hygiene and quality management
Hygiene in the laundries of old-age care
homes requires that many factors and
processes be addressed and monitored. A
structured approach is provided by the DIN
EN 14065 standard ('Textiles – Laundry-
processed textiles – Biocontamination
control system'). This standard was
drawn up following the example of the
tried-and-tested HACCP concept in the
food-processing field and describes an
effective system for hygiene and quality
management.
Alert levels and max. permissible values
can be taken from national or international
regulations and recommendations and
adapted to suit the individual needs of care
homes.
RABC System
All steps and operations from the receipt of
contaminated laundry through to re-issue
are listed on the basis of the RABC system
('Risk Analysis and Biocontamination
Control'). Control points for intensified
monitoring should ideally reflect stages of
the process where a reduction in the titre
count is achieved or where recontamination
is to be avoided.
At the washer-extractor itself, several
process parameters can be checked which
are of key relevance to the removal or
deactivation of bacteria.
• Wash liquor temperature and temperature
holding time
• Dispensing of detergents and disinfectants
Corrective measures, for example those
taken by service engineers, should be
documented with due diligence. A control
system designed in this way should
be validated and revalidated at least
annually, for instance by introducing test
bacteria (often staphylococcus aureus and
enterococcus faecium) to soiled laundry
loads followed by extensive swab and
contact plate tests.
The 7 basic principles of RABC
• Listing of microbiological risks and
control measures
• Determination of control points
• Max. permissible values and
tolerance ranges for each control point
• Definition of monitoring system for each
control point
• Definition of documentation system
• Determination of corrective measures
• Definition of validation process