Guide to Risks of Non-Compliant Medical Waste

Waste is a serious subject in the medical waste disposal industry. Hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices all produce waste daily. Medical waste management protects healthcare facilities, workers, and patients from potential diseases. You may believe that your team is being compliant, but mistakes can occur. Learn about the common problems that trouble a facility as you strive to be compliant with medical waste removal.

Internal Training Remains Critical

A common yet costly mistake involves the transfer of waste to the transport company. The person signing the transfer must be certified in medical waste management. In other words, the receptionist down the hall cannot sign off on waste that’s leaving the building. It must be a waste professional. Fines add up when non-compliant protocols remain in play.

Work with your medical waste removal company on possible solutions if your facility is particularly busy. Legal paperwork or certifying several people at each location may be necessary to remain compliant. Improper sign-offs will be caught as time goes by.

Original Packaging Isn’t Practical

Every facility must have proper containers to transport discarded items. The effort isn’t compliant if you merely use the original packaging for disposal purposes. It simply wasn’t designed for this purpose. Any items might fall out or become lodged in the packaging. This scenario endangers the transport workers who must move these items daily.

Keep compliant bags and containers on hand at your facility. Ideally, store extra inventory for those particularly busy days. Call the transport company about pickup changes when your needs evolve. High volumes call for more frequent pickup schedules.

Substitutes Don’t Measure Up

Maintaining an inventory of extra medical waste disposal containers reduces the temptation of using improper items. Plastic containers, such as milk jugs, are non-compliant. They cannot support the waste as compliant containers are designed to do. Items might break off in the plastic, such as blades or needles.

Medical waste containers are thoroughly tested by professionals before ever being sent to a medical facility. The plastic has a certain thickness with locking mechanisms on the access point. Using any substitute can lead to disease spread and fines that add up to large amounts. Verify that everyone understands the need for compliant containers so that they avoid costly mistakes.

Mixed Waste is Toxic

Aside from using the right containers, the proper waste type must be placed in each one of those receptacles. Sharps items can only enter designated containers. The sharp ends won’t penetrate through these plastics. Be sure that liquid waste enters a container with no leak points.

Non-compliance can lead to expensive fines and possible consequences from governing authorities. Set up regular meetings to discuss these points. Post reminders around the facility to keep everyone in compliance.

Failing to Hire a Medical Waste Removal Company

Transporting medical waste is a mandatory expense for participating facilities. Some management teams may try to skirt this cost, however. They end up transporting the waste themselves to avoid a charge. This practice is non-compliant in every way. Unless you have the training and certifications to do so, driving your own waste is prohibited.

Hire a waste company with a solid record and reasonable pricing. The costs to remain non-compliant are much more expensive than contracting with a local firm. Let them deal with the waste as you concentrate on patients.

Medical waste management requires an experienced team to keep up with current regulations. MedSharps offers medical waste removal with 100-percent compliance. Vetting your management team as well as developing a trusting relationship between both parties will create a strong partnership. Maintaining safe facilities is the goal everyone should strive for each day.