Best Practices for Medical Waste Disposal
2/28/2021
Proper disposal of medical waste is vital to ensuring a clean and hygienic environment in healthcare facilities. This benefits both patients and healthcare workers alike. Proper disposal and management prevent the spread of infectious diseases like the recent COVID-19 virus.
However, while each practice has its pros and cons, what are the best medical waste disposal practices that all healthcare facilities should enforce?
Best Medical Waste Disposal Practices
To avoid accumulating medical waste in one place, enforce a strict schedule for collection and shipping. This is because medical waste shouldn’t sit too long, especially under heat.
Final Thoughts
Proper disposal and management of medical waste are crucial for the health and safety of both healthcare workers and patients alike. With the practices mentioned above, you can reduce the chances of infectious diseases spreading and any injuries.
However, while each practice has its pros and cons, what are the best medical waste disposal practices that all healthcare facilities should enforce?
Best Medical Waste Disposal Practices
- Learn and understand local medical waste laws.
- Healthcare facilities should know and comply with the local regulations and laws for disposing of medical waste. This includes the preparation, storage, and transportation of waste.
- Identify and segregate waste.
- To ensure that no contamination occurs, it’s best to identify and adequately segregate medical waste as up to 15% are considered hazardous. Color-coding medical waste can help identify and segregate them.
- Use proper containers.
- This is especially important for hazardous waste as it prevents any spilling during transport. This also prevents them from contaminating non-hazardous waste, potentially creating a public health crisis.
- Don’t fill containers to the brim.
- All waste bags and containers should only be ¾ full at most. This reduces the chances of accidental spilling and contamination.
- Enforce a strict collection and shipping schedule.
To avoid accumulating medical waste in one place, enforce a strict schedule for collection and shipping. This is because medical waste shouldn’t sit too long, especially under heat.
Final Thoughts
Proper disposal and management of medical waste are crucial for the health and safety of both healthcare workers and patients alike. With the practices mentioned above, you can reduce the chances of infectious diseases spreading and any injuries.