TS 13085

TS 13085 is a service standard that sets out general rules for workplaces providing cleaning, decontamination, disinfection and sterilization services for medical instruments and materials used in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Its scope also covers the central sterilization unit where these services are delivered and the personnel working there, so the focus is on how the service is organised and supported rather than on the performance of individual devices.

The role of the central sterilization unit

In healthcare settings, textiles, PVC items, glassware, porcelain and metal instruments may require different reprocessing steps depending on their contamination level, material properties and intended use. In general technical terms, these steps range from removing visible soil to reducing microbial load and, where appropriate, achieving a sterile condition. This standard is directed at the general rules for the workplace where such a workflow is carried out.

Service, storage and personnel considerations

In disinfection and sterilization services, physical segregation, clean/dirty workflow control, storage conditions and personnel responsibilities are central to reliable practice. A standard of this kind is typically relevant to the organisational setup of reprocessable medical items: traceable handling, storage in suitable areas and management by competent staff. TS 13085 addresses that general service structure, rather than separate clinical requirements for the medical devices themselves.