§ 47.27. Sterilization.
(a) General. All feathers, down, wool, hair and shoddy shall be sterilized and disinfected before being used as filling material.
(b) Secondhand articles. All secondhand mattresses, pillows, bolsters, feather beds, comfortables, cushions and upholstered furniture shall be sterilized and disinfected before being resold. The filling material of such secondhand articles shall not again be used as filling material until after it has been sterilized. All secondhand filling material used in the making or renovating of upholstered furniture shall be sterilized and disinfected before being used.
(c) Methods. The following are approved methods of sterilization:
(1) Chemical gases. All material to be sterilized by this method shall be treated with formaldehyde in a moist atmosphere for a period of at least ten hours. Formaldehyde gas shall be generated from the use of one pint of formaldehyde solution (37%) to each 1,000 cubic feet of air space or through the use of any commercial fumigators which generate an equivalent quantity of gas. The moist atmosphere shall be produced by thorough sprinkling of the floor of the room with warm water just prior to fumigation. When the sterilizing vault is located within a building where workmen are employed, provision shall be made to exhaust the gases directly to the outside air. Both inlet and exhaust connections shall be equipped with gastight shutoff valves which can be operated from the outside of the vault. The vault door shall be kept locked during the process of sterilization. The safest and most convenient way to release the gas from the formaldehyde solution is to add to the solution 1/2 the amount of potassium permanganate. This boils the solution and releases the gas. To avoid boiling over, the mixing should be done in a large pail. Any of the commercial fumigators which use formaldehyde of the proper quantity and quality will be acceptable when evidence is given that the gas-generating power of the fumigator is equivalent of gas generated from one pint of formaldehyde solution (37%) to each 1,000 cubic feet of space.
(2) Steam. Sterilization by the use of steam shall conform to the following:
(i) All materials to be sterilized shall be subjected to treatment by steam under a pressure of 15 pounds maintained for 30 minutes or a pressure of 20 pounds maintained for 20 minutes.
(ii) As an alternate method, two applications of streaming steam, maintained for a period of one hour each, applied at intervals of not less than six nor more than 24 hours, may be used.
(iii) A gauge for registering steam pressure, visible from the outside of the room, shall be provided when steam under pressure is used, and valved outlets shall be provided near the bottom and the top of the room when streaming steam is employed.
(3) Heat. A temperature of 235°F held for a period of 2 hours, within a closed container is considered satisfactory for proper sterilization. This method is not recommended for furniture.
(4) Washing and drying. Feather pillows will be considered as having been sterilized when the feathers and ticking are kept intact without opening, and washed by a commercial laundry method with subsequent drying to remove moisture. Hair mattresses will be considered as having been sterilized when the hair is removed from the ticking and washed by a commercial laundry method and subsequently dried to remove all moisture, and when the ticking is washed and subsequently dried.
(5) Spray. Second-hand articles of bedding or upholstered furniture exposed for sale, lease or auction or delivered for purposes of reupholstering shall be considered as disinfected under the requirements of this chapter when the following process is used:
(i) A separate room, well ventilated to the outside, either naturally or mechanically, shall be provided and isolated from other parts of the establishment. The material or article shall be thoroughly sprayed over all surfaces and in all crevices and corners, including the frame of articles being renovated. A continuous action pressure sprayer shall be used applying a germicidal solution with insecticide additive, approved by the Industrial Board; which application shall be in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.
(ii) Such disinfected articles shall not be removed from the said isolated room prior to a 30-minute interval after the treatment. The spraying operator is required to use an approved type mask to prevent inhalation of chemicals.
(6) Other method. Any other method approved by the Board.
Source The provisions of this § 47.27 amended June 2, 1972, 2 Pa.B. 970. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (9189) to (9190).
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