Sharps container lunch boxes; now there’s an idea
Whenever I get an inquiry through the OSHA Compliance Hotline kvetching about how federal and state governments over-regulate medical waste handling, storage and disposal, I try to tap into that quiet voice, in the back of my mind, that says, “Relax, we really don’t have it so bad.”
By comparison, consider the situation reported by Stabroek News, a Guyanan newspaper on September 8.
The Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, warned that syringes and biohazardous items are creating exposure dangers in dumpsites, but not because hospitals and medical practices are failing to use sharps containers. It is that the sharps containers themselves are prized possessions.
It appears that the containers, once emptied of dangerous contents such as needles, syringes, and surgical blades, are considered a valuable commodity by some Guyanans, especially for food storage, according to the report.
Now, do you really think that filing a regulated waste manifest, having to post a biohazard sign, or ensuring secure storage for red bags and sharps containers is such an imposition?
To assess practices in your facility, download the Regulated Medical Waste Checklist Worksheet from the Tool page.
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David LaHoda
David LaHoda, the managing editor of Medical Environment Update and OSHA Watch, has produced healthcare training videos and consulted for medical practices and ambulatory healthcare facilities.
David has written 196 posts.
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