You would be surprised to know that every year, around 16 billion injections are administered all over the world. This data was released by the World Health Organization (WHO). Besides other serious consequences on health, medical waste also impacts the environment. With so many needles in use, the issue of ‘pharmaceutical waste management’ becomes a matter of serious concern.
Medical sharps should be collected in medical bins for disposal. This is important to ensure that there is no threat of deadly diseases like hepatitis and HIV/AIDS. Medical sharps bins come in varying colors such as red, white, yellow and purple. The purpose of assigning different colors to these bins is to segregate and manage the medical waste safely and effectively. Moreover, the improper disposal of sharps poses a high risk to medical workers and housekeepers.
Medical waste comes from many sources such as veterinary clinics, tattoo parlors, dental clinics, pharmaceutical companies, and laboratories. Hypodermic needles, disposable blades and scalpels, as well as surgical guidewires, syringes and lancets are all treated as sharp waste. Sharp waste must be handled carefully as it is classified as biohazardous waste.
5 Safety Tips for Handling Medical Sharps Bins
It is often cumbersome to dispose of sharps and needles in hospitals, clinics, tattoo shops and blood banks. It is important to handle sharps properly as they can cause cuts and punctures to the skin which can prove to be injurious. Moreover, the contaminated sharps can give rise to allergies and skin infections. It poses various risks to health as sharps can contain toxic drugs. The primary safety tips for handling medical sharps are listed below.
- Usage of Tongs
If needles are poking out of the bin, they should not be picked up with bare hands. Rather, you should use tongs to pick up the needles and syringes to put them back in the bin. Place the sharp’s end first when you are putting the syringe in the medical bin.
- Selecting the Right Sharps Bin
The guidelines for various colors and sizes of sharps bin should be kept in mind while selecting a sharps bin. The bin should be kept in such a place where it is easily accessible and visible to the doctors, healthcare workers and nurses.
To prevent the needles from puncturing through the walls, the container must be made from heavy-duty plastic. It means that a thicker plastic container is always better. It should also be completely leak-proof. Any spillage must be prevented by keeping the medical sharps bin upright at all times.
- Avoid Pouring Disinfectants
Disinfectants contain dangerous fluids which may result in health problems as a result of chemical reactions. Hence, disinfectants should never be poured into the medical sharps bin.
- Prevent Accidental Injuries
Blades, scalpels, razors as well as broken and contaminated glassware and vials can cause accidental injuries. Injuries can be in the form of needle pricks, cuts or puncture injuries. You should avoid carrying around uncapped needles as most injuries occur while recapping needles. Medical sharps waste should never be discarded into a regular garbage bin. Rather, a high-quality plastic container that does not leak or get punctures by sharps, should be used.
- Disposing of the Bin
The medical sharps bin should be removed from use once it is three-fourths full. Upon reaching this capacity, it should be sealed and set aside for disposal. The bin should be taken to a sterilization facility for incineration in order to be thoroughly destroyed.
On a Final Note
Safety and precaution should be taken into consideration while handling a medical sharps bin. This ensures the safety of the workers and the hospital staff. Pharmaceutical companies also create heaps of medical waste. Hence, ‘pharmaceutical waste management’ becomes a top priority for these companies. With the tips mentioned in this post, safety and security while handling medical sharps and bins can be ensured.
