Hygiene Requirements for Social Care Institutions

Issued pursuant to
Section 38¹ of the Epidemiological Safety Law and
Section 37, Paragraph seven of
the Protection of the Rights of the Child Law

I. General Provisions

1. The Regulation prescribes hygiene requirements for social care institutions, excluding those institutions, which provide family-type care or where persons are placed in separate apartments or residential homes.

[27 August 2013]

II. Requirements for Premises and Equipment

2. Social care institution premises, their minimum area and equipment are indicated in Annex 1 to this Regulation.

3. Functional use of the premises, their area, equipment and inventory shall meet the needs of dependent persons, state of health and the ability to move.

4. Sleeping rooms and sanitary premises of children who have reached the age of seven and adults shall be provided separately for each sex.

5. Separate sanitary premises with a toilet, washstand and shower shall be provided for the personnel.

6. [2 April 2002]

7. Requirements for maintenance of premises:

7.1 the premises shall be kept clean. Wet cleaning of the premises shall be carried out at least once a day, using detergents, and of the sanitary premises - disinfectants according to their instructions for use. Presence of sinantropic insects and rodents is not permitted in the premises;

7.2. a separate cleaning equipment shall be used in the sanitary premises;

7.3. waste bins shall be emptied and washed on a regular basis, if necessary, disinfected.

[2 April 2002; 27 August 2013]

8. Requirements for linen and bedding:

8.1. bed linen shall be changed as necessary but no less than once in every seven days for bedbound persons and no less than once every 10 days for other persons;

8.2. linen shall be washed centrally in the laundry of the respective social care institution. Washing in other laundries is also permitted on the condition that the respective linen is washed separately from other linen;

8.3. when collecting dirty linen and delivering it to the laundry, the personnel shall work in clothing specifically provided for this work;

8.4. infectious linen shall be disinfected before washing;

8.5. linen shall be transported, packed separately from other goods and products. Containers for clean and dirty linen shall be marked accordingly;

8.6. bed mattresses, pillows and blankets shall be disinfected, if necessary, and also when indwellers change.

[2 April 2002; 27 August 2013]

III. Requirements for Water Supply and Sewerage, Heating, Ventilation and Lighting

9. Residential buildings shall be equipped with continuous water supply, compliant with the requirements for cold and hot water.

10. A drainage system shall be ensured for collecting and draining wastewater of the building.

[27 August 2013]

11. Minimum ambient temperatures in different groups of premises are indicated in Annex 2 to this Regulation.

12. Natural or mechanical ventilation shall be ensured in the premises.

[27 August 2013]

13. All living premises shall have natural lighting. Minimum levels of artificial lighting for different groups of premises are indicated in Annex 3 to this Regulation.

IV. Requirements for Personal Hygiene of Dependent Persons and Social Care Institution Personnel

14. Social care institution in accordance with the specific needs and abilities of dependent persons shall evaluate the assistance needed to carry out personal hygiene.

[27 August 2013]

14.¹ Dependent persons shall be provided with an opportunity to wash the whole body in warm water, shave beard, cut nails at least once every 10 days, and have their hair cut at least once in every two months.

[27 August 2013]

15. Personnel shall have an opportunity to keep personal and work clothing in personnel locker rooms.

V. Requirements for Food Unit

16. [17 March 2008]

17. Before food distribution, samples of food shall be evaluated by the person responsible for catering, as well as by the chef. Sample assessment results shall be recorded in the log. In children's social care institution samples of all food shall be stored in a cooling equipment for 24 hours, attaching an indication for each food sample, stating when and who has prepared the respective food and when it was distributed. After 24 hours the food samples shall be disposed of together with food waste.

18. In children's social care institution, where children under the age of three years reside, next to the catering room it is permitted to arrange another room or a compartment of the same room with a closing door for washing dishes.

[2 April 2002]

VI. Special Requirements for Children's Social Care Institutions

19. In one sleeping room there shall be placed no more than six children. Sleeping rooms for children with physical and mental disabilities shall be transparent.

[27 August 2013]

20. In social care institutions, which host children aged up to three years, there shall be no more than 10 children in a group.

21. [27 August 2013]

22. Clean linen shall be stored in a clean linen cabinet in the sleeping room or living premises, for infants - in a separate compartment of the changing table.

23. In the sleeping room or living premises there shall be a place for changing diapers (changing table), and next to it there shall be a container with a lid for storing wet diapers, and a container for contaminated diapers, and also a washing stand. Used diapers shall be stored in polyethylene bags.

24. Infant baths and showers for children of preschool age, as well as washstands shall be equipped so to adjust the water temperature to 40 °C.

25. There shall be a separate room or place for pram parking.

[27 August 2013]

26. There shall be no more than 12 children in a group of children with mental disabilities and children with physical disabilities. For such children there shall also be an occupational therapy room, mobile wash tables and toilets intended, and also, if necessary, a lift. A bath for disabled children shall be fitted with a seat, and in the shower there shall be a seating edge. There shall also be accessories for disabled children referred to in Paragraphs 28, 29 and 30 of this Regulation.

[27 August 2013]

VII. Special Requirements for Adult Social Care Institutions

27. In the living room-sleeping room and sleeping room there shall be placed no more than six persons.

[25 August 2009]

28. In hallways handrails shall be provided on one side, and in staircases - on both sides.

[25 August 2009]

29. Persons shall be provided with the opportunity to enter a residential building in wheelchair. Entrance to the building shall be lighted. At the entrance there shall be a wheelchair parking space.

30. Persons shall be provided with the opportunity to get into the lift using a wheelchair. In the lift there shall be a railing and the opportunity to sit down.

VIII. Closing Provisions

31. The manager of the social care institution shall be responsible for ensuring compliance and execution of this Regulation.

32. Performance of this Regulation with the exception of Chapter V shall be controlled by the Health Inspectorate. Performance of Chapter V of this Regulation shall be controlled by the Food and Veterinary Service.

[02 April 2002; 17 March 2008]

33. This Regulation shall come into force on 1 January 2001.

34. Paragraphs 19, 20, 21 and 27 of this Regulation regarding institutions which have started their operation before the day of coming into force of this Regulation shall come into force on 1 January 2005.

35. Until 31 December 2012 the minimum area per person of a living room - sleeping room of adult social care institutions referred to in Sub-paragraph 3.1 of Annex 1 to this Regulations shall be no less than 4 m², and the minimum equipment includes an individual bed and a closet for personal belongings. If a person uses a wheelchair or needs positioning, the minimum area per person shall be no less than 6 m², and the minimum equipment shall be determined according to individual needs.

[25 August 2009]

Acting for the Prime Minister for Transport A.Gorbunovs

Acting for the Minister for Welfare Minister for Economy A.Kalvītis

Annex 1
Cabinet Regulation No. 431
12 December 2000

Social Care Institution Premises, Minimum Area and Equipment Thereof

[26 July 2005; 27 August 2013]

Acting for the Minister for Welfare Minister for Economy A.Kalvītis

Annex 2
Cabinet Regulation No. 431
12 December 2000

Minimum Ambient Temperature in Social Care Institution Premises

[27 August 2013]

Acting for the Minister for Welfare Minister for Economy A.Kalvītis

Annex 3
Cabinet Regulation No. 431
12 December 2000

Minimum Artificial Lighting Levels in Social Care Institution Premises

Acting for the Minister for Welfare Minister for Economy A.Kalvītis

Translation © 2016 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)