By Nate Bash
Medical Waste Disposal may not seem like an important thing to discuss but actually having knowledge and insight in to the correct way to dispose of medical waste can have many benefits for yourself and others. With so many hospitals, clinics and other medical businesses needing to dispose of medical waste it is probably worth your while learning a safe and clean way to do so. It may seem like a small part of the job and in relation to the job you are doing it is easy to see it that way but actually safe disposal of medical waste is high up there as an important part of your job. Medical waste cannot be disposed of in the same way as general rubbish. Even in the case of general household rubbish you have different bin containers for different types of waste. You have general waste, recyclables, plastics and even garden waste. So, if it is important to disregard of household waste separately then undoubtedly it is important to ensure that different types of medical waste are being disposed of properly and separately when needed.
Within the medical sector there are many different types of patients’ needs that will be seen to. Sharps and injectables are some of the most common, especially with the constant need for vaccinations and boosters and we try to steam ahead with the Covid-19 pandemic. Sharps are also used for blood tests and other such things. Disposing of sharp objects, especially after use is highly important. Sharps have their own plastic containers that ensure that once the sharps have been put inside it is very difficult for them to get back out. Sharps must never ever be disposed of in bags as this can cause serious harm and injury to others. There is a reason why they have a container and it is to ensure the safety of yourself and of those working around you.
When working in a hospital environment it is only expected that you will be dealing with a lot of bodily fluids and the cleaning of it. Once you have cleaned up the bodily fluids you want to again be sure that the remnants are disposed of correctly. There are medical bags that are used specifically for soiled and contaminated bandages or papers for example. Again, disposing of such items correctly will ensure that there is no contamination caused to yourself and others and the level of harm is significantly reduced.
If all medical waste is disposed of properly then it really can be very simple. The way for this to work effectively is for all staff and volunteers to be aware of how to correctly dispose of medical waste and the best way to keep themselves and others that are working closely with them safe. Working safely and efficiently may involve some kind of training but it will be very much worth it when waste disposal is one less problem to contend with in your working day.
