N95 Decontamination Process with Battelle CCDS

Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System (CCDS). Hosted by the City of Fort Worth on behalf of the region.

Battelle CCDS has arrived in Fort Worth with the goal of decontaminating designated N95 masks in the North Texas region. This is provided by a joint governmental partnership and is a free service provided to healthcare facilities and first responders. Read the below information to find out if this service can benefit you and your healthcare team.

Eligibility
• Healthcare Personnel: All paid and unpaid persons serving in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials, including body substances (e.g., blood, tissue, and specific body fluids); contaminated medical supplies, devices, and equipment; contaminated environmental surfaces; or contaminated air.
• Also included, but not limited to emergency medical service personnel, nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, technicians, therapists, phlebotomists, pharmacists, dentists and dental hygienists, students and trainees, contractual staff not employed by the healthcare facility, and persons not directly involved in patient care, but who could be exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted in the healthcare setting (e.g., clerical, dietary, environmental services, laundry, security, engineering and facilities management, administrative, billing, and volunteer personnel).
• Emergency Response Personnel

Eligible Masks for Decontamination
• Any N95 respirator (healthcare and industrial) that are not cellulose based.
• Respirators must be certified by NIOSH as an N95. If NIOSH hasn’t certified it, Battelle does not recommend decontamination via our process.
• The N95 Guidance document should be referenced for identifying N95 respirators that we are able to decontaminate.

Turn-a-Round Time
• Usually within 72 hours of receipt
• Dependent on volume of incoming respirators

Location
• Provided after registration with Battelle has been confirmed
Paperwork MUST be completed and masks properly marked prior to dropping off or shipping N95 masks to the facility. Please reference the N95 Guidance document for allowable masks. No other items are being accepted for decontamination at this time.

Preparation & Collection Instructions
• For Individuals
• For Facilities
For Questions please contact Fort Worth Fire Assistant Chief Homer Robertson.

Battelle CCDS Registration Process:

1. Sign up with Battelle
   • Complete Enrollment Form
   • Battelle emails enrollee links to the enrollment contract, instructions, and the Battelle POC
2. Contact Us to Get Your Code
   • Enrollee signs contract and contacts Battelle POC to receive their 3-digit codes for each facility
3. Properly Label Respirators
   • Once the 3-digit codes are received from Battelle, enrollee collects N95 respirators
   • N95 respirators must be unsoiled (free of blood, mucus, make-up, lip balm, etc.) and labeled with a permanent marker
4. Collect & Bag All N95 Respirators
   • Enrollee collects all N95 respirators into a single plastic bag
   • Once the plastic bag is filled, tie off the bag, and put it into another plastic bag
5. Properly Package
   • Clean the outside bag with disinfectant
   • Shipping box must be labeled with the 3-digit code and a biohazard sticker
6. Ship to Battelle CCDS Site
   • Enrollee contacts their chosen logistics provider to coordinate pick-up and delivery of their N95 respirators
   • Enrollee can either use a logistics provider or their choice or Battelle’s preferred logistics provider
   • The enrollee can drop off their N95 respirators rather than shipping if they prefer. If the respirators are dropped off then they will be required to pick up the respirators when the decontamination process is complete. Return shipping will not be provided in this instance.
7. Decontaminated & Returned
   • Your shipments are barcoded to ensure chain of custody
   • Your N95 respirators are processed and then verified to ensure they are free of decontaminant
   • Your decontaminated N95 respirators are returned to your facility.
   • If the enrollee dropped off their respirators then they will be required to return and pick up.