A Guide to Medical Waste Disposal Violations
Medical waste compliance is serious and should be taken seriously by all healthcare facilities, and any facility dealing with biohazardous waste. Not practicing safe medical waste disposal could lead to harmful bacteria or infections being spread to other people and the environment.
Not complying with the strict medical waste disposal regulations could also lead to violations no facility wants to deal with. Your facility could not only take a financial hit due to fines, but your reputation will be somewhat tarnished as well. While these few tips will help you avoid violations, be aware these aren’t the only ways you could have a medical waste disposal violation.
Categorizing Medical Waste is Required
One of the basic requirements is to categorize all of your medical waste. Each piece is disposed of differently, so categorizing each item is essential. The best medical waste companies will provide you with bins that are categorized and easy to read. It’s important to ensure the right piece of waste goes into the right container. Not correctly placing a piece of waste could put yourself and other in harm’s way.
Containers and Packaging Must Be Inspected and Replaced
You may have perfectly categorized waste disposal containers, but you could still be at risk of getting a violation if the containers are damaged in any way. These containers have to be secured tightly with no holes or openings at any time. When you work with a medical hazardous waste disposal company, they will inspect each container every time they come to your site. This inspection helps relieve some of the pressure of each facility having to inspect their own bins.
Not Planning For Emergencies Is A Violation
Your facility can’t just hope for an emergency not to occur. Accidents always happen and they need a plan of action when it occurs. For example, what would you do if someone accidentally knocks over a medical waste disposal container and the waste spreads all over the floor? Having a plan in place is actually an OSHA requirement, so be sure to have one ready to go in the event of an emergency.
Medical Waste Companies Help Eliminate Violations
As you may have already figured out, medical waste companies play a large role in helping healthcare facilities avoid OSHA and other violations. The best companies will work with you to always ensure you have the right equipment and standards in place to avoid violations. However, you still have to have internal training and quality practices in order to avoid both minor and serious compliance violations.
Medsharps takes compliance seriously and wants to help each facility they work with remain compliant and avoid violations as well. We have the safest medical waste disposal practices in the industry and want to work with you next. Be sure to contact us to learn about our services and to set up an appointment.
