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Safe work practices for handling medical waste
These safe work practices can apply to anyone who knows that they handle medical waste and to those who think they may have come across medical waste on the job.
- Follow your employer’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) and your supervisor’s instructions about reporting and handling medical wastes. For example, landfills that accept medical waste should have SOPs for accepting, rejecting, and handling medical waste.
- Be proactive. Find out as much as you can about the wastes you may encounter and what you should do if you find them. Ask your supervisor what, if any, medical wastes are disposed at your facility; what you should do if you encounter a red bag or other biohazard; what personal protective equipment (PPE) you should use, both routinely and if you encounter a special hazard; and what you should do if you are stuck with a hypodermic needle or are otherwise exposed to potentially infectious wastes.
- Be alert to potential hazards.
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- If you encounter a red bag, red sharps container, or something marked with the biohazard symbol; or sharps, blood or blood-containing material, human or animal parts; or other material that appears to be medical waste, treat it as if it is hazardous. Inform your supervisor before covering it or handling it in any way. Your supervisor may want to reject the waste, and, if so, will contact the hauler, or the person who disposed the waste, to come pick it up.
- Wear PPE under circumstances in which you might be exposed. Boots should have steel toes and puncture-resistant soles, and 6 inch lace-up boots provide added protection for the ankles. Gloves should be worn whenever the hands may come in contact with hazards; leather provides better protection than rubber against punctures. Arms and other skin surfaces should be covered whenever the skin might be exposed to infectious agents. Safety glasses and hard hats may also provide protection to the head and face from splashes.
- Special equipment, such as respirators, face shields, dust masks, boot covers, or impervious clothing may be necessary if a spill occurs, if splashing or splattering is expected, or if another unusual hazard arises.
- Cover all cuts, abrasions, and other areas of nonintact skin while on duty.
- Avoid physical contact with medical wastes, whether they are in red bags or sharps containers or not. If you are required to move these items—for example, to separate them for pickup—use a shovel or other implementation.
- Never handle any wastes with your bare hands.
- Be aware of the possible presence of medical wastes when handling all wastes and when cleaning all machinery and equipment, and try to avoid contact. In particular, be aware that sharps can become stuck in the wheels and tracks of vehicles, and can pose hazards to operators and maintenance workers.
Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), hazardous waste large quantity generators and treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDFs) must produce a hazardous waste report every two years. Click here to learn more!
- Where possible, use some implement or cleaning method other than your hands. If you do have to use your hands to clean or maintain equipment, make sure that you are wearing gloves that minimize the chance of being cut.
- Never reach where you cannot see.
- Large pieces of broken glass should be removed with brooms and disposed of in a separate container. Small pieces can be removed with tongs. Glass should never be removed with fingers.
- Avoid handling personal items, like pens and combs, while wearing gloves.
- Always wash your hands after removing your gloves, even if the gloves have not been cut or punctured.
- Always wash before eating, drinking, smoking, or putting anything in your mouth, and before leaving work.
- Remove clothing, boots, and gloves that have been in contact with infectious waste as soon as possible, taking care to avoid contact with exposed skin surfaces.
- Use gloves to remove other items of clothing.
- Place contaminated PPE in closable, leakproof bags or containers for disposal or decontamination.
- If you come in contact with infectious waste (for example, if you are splashed with blood or blood-containing bodily fluids), wash your hands and any exposed skin thoroughly in warm water and soap, or in waterless antiseptic cleaner, if soap and water are unavailable.
- Report any on-the-job exposure to blood or other bodily fluids promptly and get medical attention.