Appropriate hospital waste disposal systems help limit the possibility of overlooking safety hazards when staff are overworked and stressed. Improper hospital waste disposal practices can result in mishaps that endanger the health of your patients, employees, and the neighborhood. If you're considering conducting an audit of your hospital's waste disposal practices, here are a few items to consider.
Your team must be well-versed in medical waste disposal practices, which takes more than just basic training. Employees must receive periodic training in addition to the mandatory instruction outlined in OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention advice and enforcement. Being careful about education guarantees compliance with state and federal standards governing hospital waste disposal practices. Every staff handling hospital trash should receive the following training on a yearly or recurrent basis: - Bloodborne Pathogen Training
- We offer DOT Training
- HIPAA, and Hazmat training
Aside from obligatory training, regular instruction on hand hygiene procedures during waste handling and best practice waste segregation techniques is critical for protecting hospital staff while achieving compliance standards.
Hospital Waste Segregation
Mingling ordinary trash or overcategorizing medicines or hazardous waste into medical waste is an EPA violation, especially when infectious waste and contaminated objects pose a risk to the entire bin in terms of safety, environmental impact, and infection. Improper disposal of sharp objects such as needles or spent syringes can endanger both clinical and downstream service professionals, which is why specific sharps containers are used solely for sharps waste management. All clinical waste generated in a hospital environment must be properly handled and placed in clearly labeled, undamaged containers. Containment is an important aspect of proper medical waste treatment.
As part of an integrated hospital waste segregation program, we typically manage the following waste streams:
- Sharps waste (syringes, needles, or sharp devices that are "empty" (i.e., contain no leftover medications)
- Regulated medical waste (sometimes called red bag waste, RMW, or biohazardous garbage)
- Non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste, including sharps.
- Trace chemotherapy waste (less than 3% residue of the chemotherapy medication)
- Bulk chemotherapy waste (greater than 3% of the initial volume of chemotherapy saline or medicines)
- RCRA Hazardous garbage (or "black bin" garbage)
- Controlled Substances are a subset of medications identified by the DEA as requiring special handling.
Every medical practice is unique (including hospitals), and there is no one-size-fits-all set of protocols for ensuring compliance across clinical settings. Evaluate your waste management solutions regularly, keeping track of any areas that should be improved while also noting those that are doing well. Make sure your employees are aware that waste management is constantly being checked, and do your best to make compliant hospital waste disposal techniques a part of the company culture.
The medical waste generated by your medical facility is the responsibility of the generator (your hospital), and it remains your obligation even after it leaves your facility's premises. According to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the generator of hazardous waste is responsible from start to finish. This essentially means that the healthcare facility is responsible for the transportation and eventual disposal of infectious waste (even after it has left the hospital premises!). When selecting a waste management service provider, it is important to consider the following: - Ensure that they manage all transit on their approved trucks, assuring total traceability of garbage.
- Ensure that your provider is a licensed hauler for all waste streams (hazardous and pharmaceutical waste permits differ from sharps and medical waste).
- Ensure that you receive clear documentation of trash disposal processes as well as proper waste destruction certifications.
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