Traditionally, housekeeping was never considered important in hospitals and it was only after the 1850s that dedicated housekeeping staff was brought in the hospitals. Subsequently, a revolution was witnessed in the hospital housekeeping sector by allocation of more funds, use of mechanical equipment, increasing awareness, and demand of housekeeping services wherein its processes and outcomes makes or mars the reputation of the hospital.

Patients rate hospitals based not only on the quality of services but also on their hygiene quotient. Infection control, quality of care, and the confidence of the public in any healthcare organization are influenced by its housekeeping and disinfection processes. Experts agree that careful cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces are essential elements of effective infection prevention programs. However, there are a number of areas of disagreement and controversy regarding best practices for cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces.

The purpose of writing this handbook has been to familiarize the different stakeholders about the standard cleaning and disinfection, and Biomedical Waste Management practices as well as to update the knowledge and awareness of modern technologies that can supplement traditional cleaning, disinfection, and biomedical waste management methods.

The overarching concept of the text spotlights three major areas of expertise required for the success of housekeeping professionals, i.e., management of resources, administration of assets, and knowledge of technical operations. Its comprehensive nature covers all aspects of housekeeping operations, disinfection practices, and scientific management of Biomedical Waste needed in a hospital setup including structure, planning, staffing, inventory and equipment management, housekeeping supplies, personnel administration, administrative controls, and risk management.

It will help the hospital planners, policy makers, medical administrators, nursing administrators, sanitation officers, management students, human resource managers, and other key professionals to understand how to operate and manage housekeeping in a hospital. Step-by-step approach succinctly demonstrates what to do and how to do it.

Each chapter highlights a specific issue centered on managing housekeeping services and disinfection practices in a hospital environment. The authors have used real-world examples to lead the readers through the essentials of housekeeping with an effort to address common and often perplexing issues related to housekeeping and disinfection practices.

This book is a comprehensive compendium on the subject of housekeeping and disinfection practices, and Biomedical Waste Management. The content includes duties and responsibilities of housekeepers, job analysis, skills required, qualification and recruitment of various cadres of staff for housekeeping; staffing norms for calculation of hospital and sanitary attendants.

According to the level of patient care required in different areas, this book outlines the training programs needed to inculcate and update the cleaning, disinfection, and Biomedical Waste Management skills of the staff. It also covers the frequency, principles, and organization of the cleaning activities in healthcare organizations. The policies and procedures for housekeeping including terminal disinfection of patient beds, ICUs, operation theatres and isolation wards/rooms are incorporated at appropriate places in the text. Further, this book also details the principles of integrated pest management in hospitals, classification/categorization of Biomedical Waste, its segregation in color-coded bins/bags, internal and external transport, statutory requirements and their implementation, tendering for outsourcing of Biomedical Waste Management services, treatment and disposal procedures. The importance of Occupational health and safety of housekeeping staff, evaluation of quality and audit process for housekeeping, tendering process and its evaluation for outsourcing of housekeeping services, have also been deliberated upon.

A special feature of this book is inclusion of the need for Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) as an integral part of hospital waste management and prerequisite for grant of authorization by State Pollution Control Committee under the Biomedical Waste Management and Handling Rules. A chapter on brief overview of implementation model adopted for Kaya Kalp Scheme at a Tertiary Care Hospital has been included. A special feature of the book is the chapter on “Housekeeping Services in Hospitals in COVID-19 Environment”.

We wish to greatly acknowledge and sincerely appreciate the valuable inputs, encouragement, guidance, and support of Chairman and Managing Director of Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers Pvt Ltd, Mr Jitendar P Vij and exemplary commitment and professionalism of his team.

We welcome the suggestions and feedback of our esteemed and revered readers and also invite inputs in further improving and enriching the subsequent editions.