GeneralMedical Disposal Safety: 5 Common Mistakes Your Facility Could Be Making

There are strict rules concerning the usage of sharps containers in Australia. Those rules are in place for a reason because 15% of the healthcare industry’s waste could harm others – be it people working in the garbage disposal industry or innocent bystanders.

However, just having a needle disposal bin is not enough. Your company could be violating medical disposal safety rules and not even know it. Read on to find out if you need to change your company’s waste disposal protocols to protect those around you.

1. Not Using the Right Bin

Sharps are some of the most common sources of hazardous medical waste, yet they are also one of the most common items that are disposed of improperly. Your sharps container in Australia needs to be a puncture-resistant, hard-sided container that is also leak-proof and spill-proof.

You should not be putting your needles in an old container or milk bottle as some medical professionals have been known to do. Those containers are not strong enough to withstand punctures. Instead, you should put your sharps in a rigid bin and only then put them in a biohazard bag.

2. Not Separating Waste Properly

Your needle disposal bin should be for disposing of needles, not other waste. Many medical practitioners mix sharps with pharmaceutical waste, mercury waste, and other garbage. However, these waste items are also dangerous and should be disposed of properly.

Pharmaceutical waste should be sorted into separate pharmaceutical containers. There are different containers for pills, capsules, and other types of medication, so consult with your medical waste supplier on the best disposal methods. Waste items that contain mercury, such as thermometers, should go in separate, labelled mercury waste containers. Under no circumstances should they go in sharps containers or the general garbage because that could cause pollution.

3. Not Documenting Waste

It seems strange to know that you have to keep track of your garbage in great detail. However, this is crucial to protecting yourself and others from hazardous medical waste. If any container is unaccounted for, that is a potential source of hazardous material that local authorities may need to track down before someone gets sick.

In your records, note how much waste you disposed of, which will also help you with keeping track of inventory. You should also note the date of disposal as well as the company that is disposing of the waste. That way, in case there is a problem, you can easily track down where the issue first arose.

4. Not Paying Attention

There are times when you can multitask. However, disposing of potentially hazardous objects is not one of them. You need all of your attention on the disposal process so that you can be sure you put each item in the right bin and record the right information about disposal.

Getting distracted while disposing of medical waste could endanger others and yourself. It is particularly dangerous to do activities such as eating, drinking, or smoking because that could cross-contaminate sensitive items with hazardous particles.

5. Not Protecting Yourself

While you are disposing of medical waste, you need to take precautions to protect yourself from hazardous material. This includes wearing protective equipment such as a mask, gloves, goggles, and a gown. Be sure that all your protective equipment is worn properly.

Finally, protect yourself by complying with your medical waste supplier’s tools and regulations. Your supplier knows the best protocols for disposing of hazardous materials, so you should trust what they say. This includes using the tools provided by the supplier.

Finally, treat medical waste containers as if they are a Pandora’s box. Once they are sealed, you should not open them under any circumstances. You never know what could have gotten jostled inside and could injure you if it falls out.

Having a designated needle disposal bin is not enough to safely dispose of medical waste. You need to have separate disposal containers for different types of medical waste and ensure that they meet safety standards. For example, sharps containers need to have sharp sides and be puncture-proof. When disposing of medical waste, record everything carefully, and pay close attention during the disposal process.

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