Options for Durable Sharps Disposal Containers
Every medical facility must have the proper container types and quantities to hold bio-hazardous waste. These substances include soiled linens, gauze, and other items exposed to bodily fluids. Sharps are items that are particularly hazardous if they aren’t disposed of in the proper manner. Blades, needles, and syringes must have containers on site for their disposal. Although your medical waste pickup company may be visiting the facility on a regular basis, it’s critical to pay attention to waste handling between appointments. Be mindful of container choices and their quality as you deal with sharps medical waste disposal every day.
Bags Aren’t the Answer to Sharps Medical Waste Disposal
Medical facilities often have several boxes of bio-hazardous waste bags on hand for linens and other soft items. These bags, however, should not be used for disposing of sharps products. There is absolutely no security among healthcare workers if sharps poke out of the bags’ plastic linings. Although the bags are thick, they cannot support piercing items.
If you notice that official, sharps containers are lacking in number at your facility, contact your medical waste services representative immediately.
Locks Must Securely Latch on Boxes
Your facility is prepared when it has sharps medical waste disposal containers in almost every room. Considerable planning has gone into this process, but your work doesn’t stop there. Periodically, check each container for durability and functionality. The container’s lock should always latch with ease. In most cases, there are keyed locks involved with the containers. Verify that the locks open and close with only a proprietary key.
All of these checks culminate into a safe environment for both healthcare workers and patients.
Overfilling Boxes Creates Hazards
Medical facilities are busy on a regular basis, especially in emergency situations. For the most part, the disposal containers are a means to an end instead of being looked at with a critical eye. Take a second to look at each container before you drop an item inside of them. If it’s full, look for an alternative box. Overfilling any sharps container means that an item may pop out during subsequent access. The container itself may be damaged too. Follow the fill-line protocols so that you always have a safe container to use.
Your Representative Experience
Your sharps container representative can shed some light on other issues to look out for, such as cracks along the containers’ exteriors. Elect one or two people to work with the representative when they arrive for regular pickups. Create a relationship between the two parties that makes communication as easy as possible. If there’s ever a concern, it can be solved before it gets out of hand. The rep should always suggest alternative measures in your workplace when containers seem to fill too quickly.
Expanding for Volume
A simple, change of pace for any facility is simply expanding the number of containers available to the staff. Your container rep and internal staff can come up with the best areas for the new additions. Their locations must be centralized while limiting their exposure to the patient population. Increasing the container numbers ensures safety for everyone in the immediate area.
You may already have a representative when it comes to medical waste disposal services, but it’s always recommended to have a second opinion about your handling at times. Working with a reputable company, including the experts at Medsharps, can help all of your workers learn more about bio-hazardous waste and its handling. Safety in the medical industry is the top concern of every professional in any specialty.
