Biohazardous Waste And Encouraging Compliance

Biohazardous waste is a growing problem in our country. The advancements in medical technology over even the last decade have been life-changing – can you even remember how things were before things like laparoscopic surgery and electronic health records? But along with advancements comes waste, and lots of it. Whether from medical research, procedures, hospital waste or even the needles you use at home for medication, any type of waste that could bring harm to humanity is considered biohazardous. We can’t necessarily control the amount of waste that is produced, but one thing that has to be controlled and handled in a specific, compliant manner is biohazardous waste disposal. Most medical facilities that produce this type of waste have a hazardous disposal policy in place, but if that policy doesn’t cover all aspects of the disposal, from containers to cost, your policy may need some fine-tuning.

Paying the Piper

Mistakes made during waste disposal are costly. The violations are different, but the penalties for mishandling biohazardous waste could cost up to $25,000 for each day of violation! So if your medical facility mishandles even one point of concern, OSHA and state laws could slam you with fees into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most facilities can’t take a hit like that, so ensuring compliance is imperative. Some areas where a company could be penalized are:

Incorrect container usage
Discarding different types of waste in the wrong containers
Labeling the waste containers improperly
Misuse of color-coding different types of waste
Non-compliant waste transport
Inadequate employee training on waste disposal
Lack of an emergency contingency plan
Failing to conduct inspections of the waste areas and containers

These areas may seem like commonsense to some, but there are facilities out there incurring penalties every day, so it may be time to reevaluate your policies and procedures.

Handle Your Business Well

While penalties are concerning, there are plenty of things you can do at your facility to make sure you are fully compliant in any and all of the aforementioned areas.

Use the Right Containers – One of the biggest issues with waste disposal compliance is having the proper containers for storage and disposal, especially when it comes to sharps disposal. Back in the day, people threw sharps away in milk jugs or detergent bottles, but today, those are strictly prohibited. If you aren’t sure that you’re using the proper containers for the types of waste you need to dispose of, make sure you verify what is required with OSHA and your state – some states are more strict than others. At the very least, containers need to be leak-proof, spill-proof, puncture resistant and reusable, and approved by the Department of Transportation. For some facilities, especially those that produce large amounts of biohazardous waste, having the right container is a necessity! Also, different types of waste cannot be mixed – everything has to be disposed of in the correct and separate containers.
Categorize Correctly – Again, this may seem like training fodder for some facilities, but if the waste you’re disposing of isn’t properly categorized and labeled, you could be in big trouble with your state, the DOT or with anyone infected by whatever it is you’re transporting for disposal. Labels should be affixed to every side of every container, so the information is plainly seen by anyone handling the container. Warning labels should specifically be used for anything container housing blood or blood products or anything potentially infectious, including refrigerators and freezers. Not only do the containers have to be labeled and the waste categorized, but everything should be inspected weekly by someone trained to do so. This includes making sure the containers aren’t compromised in any way, keeping the storage areas clean, signing the proper documentation stating that the disposal area was inspected, etc. Most facilities already have employees assigned to check other equipment, like fire extinguishers and hand washing stations, so adding waste disposal to the list is the best way to make sure it gets done.
Track Everything – Whether it’s vials full of blood, tissue samples, test results or used sharps, everything should be tracked, both for your liability and to keep your patient’s information safe and secure. This type of waste holds the most personal information available, so if criminal got a hold of any of it, it could have serious, life-altering consequences. If you’re partnering with a waste disposal company, you must verify that they have compliant, detailed tracking process before, during and after a waste pickup. If they don’t, that should be a serious red flag.
Pick the Right Partner – One of the biggest changes you can make to ensure compliance is partnering with a trusted medical waste disposal company to handle the pickup and transport of medical waste. If they’re worth anything, they’ll have documentation on the regulations they follow, including the types of services they are able to provide. Every disposal company should have specialized trucks for transporting medical waste securely and the proper containers for your facility to use. Their service standards and procedures should be fully compliant, and finding a local company who will provide the best customer experience is key. There are large, nationally known waste disposal companies out there, but because they’re so large, they can’t specialize in customer relationships, flexibility in pickups, types of services provided…personal touches that go a long way in gaining your trust and loyalty as a customer.

If you’re in the greater Birmingham or Huntsville, AL areas and you’re looking for a trusted, reliable and experienced partner in medical waste disposal, contact us today at SecureMed. Our services include sharps disposal, PHI document destruction, RMW waste disposal, and more, and they are convenient, efficient and affordable for any size facility. Choose us to be your waste disposal partner – get a quick quote today!