Biohazardous Waste is something that anyone that is working in healthcare needs to be made fully aware of. They will need to know exactly what biohazardous waste is and they will also need to know the correct ways that they will need to dispose of it. When you are working in a healthcare environment it is inevitable that you are going to come in to contact with most forms of biohazardous waste, so it is vital that you are educated in identifying it and also correctly disposing of it. If you come into contact with biohazardous waste, it is important that you take the appropriate steps isolate and contain the waste correctly before then going on to dispose of it. Within the healthcare environment there are many positions that will need to be involved in safe containment and disposal of biohazardous waste, this filters through from management down to maintenance, housekeeping and any medical waste disposal personnel.
Biohazardous waste can be considered to be anything from soiled gowns, soiled bedsheets or linen, bandages or sharps waste. It can also include other pieces of equipment that has come in to contact with a potentially infected person. The most important thing to remember though is that it is good to be able to identify the types of biohazardous waste but more so is the need to identify the exposure that the waste has had to contamination. So it is vital that disposal happens very quickly to limit the exposure and risk of contamination within the healthcare environment.
Proper handling of biohazardous waste is so important as is the final disposal of the waste. Any waste that has been contaminated with blood or any other bodily fluids needs to be segregated and disposed of properly with the correct labels and using the correct containers for each type od medical waste that is being disposed of. Biohazardous waste is generally disposed of in red coloured bags and when it is thrown in to the disposal bins they need to be very securely tied to limit the contamination levels during transportation. When disposing of sharps waste is it vital that containers are used so as to minimise the risk of puncturing or cutting a person’s skin during the transportation and disposal procedure. Sharps must be disposed of in a specific container straight away as this will help to protect those working in the healthcare environment. Biohazardous liquid waste also has a specific container for disposal and that is generally in a vacuum flask due to them being leak proof and unable to be broken, this just helps to keep contamination risks at a low. Any biohazardous waste will need to be clearly marked so that anyone that is involved in the disposal of it can continue with their job whilst feeling safe and secure and at no high risk of being contaminated. Safe and speedy disposal from beginning to end is vital when disposing of any type of biohazardous waste.
