This recommended practice covers the safe handling and biological decontamination of reusable medical devices, including design criteria for decontamination areas in health care facilities; staff qualifications, education, and other personnel considerations; immediate handling of contaminated items; transport of contaminated items; and decontamination processes. This recommended practice also includes definitions of terms and reference documents, as well as informative annexes providing supplementary information on the principles of infection transmission; the selection and use of chemical disinfectants; thermal disinfection; the safe handling and decontamination of medical devices returned to manufacturers for servicing, repair, or failure investigation; and the OSHA bloodborne pathogen regulation.