How to Comply with OSHA Medical Waste in 5 steps

17 Sep How to Comply with OSHA Medical Waste in 5 steps

OSHA Medical Waste Regulations

OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration is an agency established by Congress back in 1970. It’s conception focused on implementing universal safety and health conditions to ensure the protection and wellbeing of working men and women. Safety was accomplished by enforcing standards and by educating both employers and employees with training, outreach, and assistance. To comply with OSHA guidelines guarantees that employers are following regulations that facilitate safe work environments. The guidelines help lower any undue risk or harm; this is especially important within the medical field as health-care providers are regularly exposed to infectious pathogens. 

 By complying with OSHA’s medical waste regulations, the risks to health-care professionals, patients, and medical waste management specialists are lowered. There are substantial effects observed in reduced work-environment risks through the close regulation of collecting and disposing of medical waste. In 1991, OSHA finalized the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard which outlined the effective handling of sharps to avoid workers from risks of HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens. 

 Amended in 2000, the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act furthered the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard by implementing exposure control plans, precautions to take in the workforce, universal PPE outfitting, post-exposure follow-up plans, and hazard communication and training. To find oneself compliant with these OSHA regulations, implementing systems and processes that maximize focus on handling, storing, and disposing of medical waste is an effective and proven way to avoid OSHA violations.

 Five Easy Steps to Follow for OSHA Compliance

1.) First and foremost, outfitting medical workers and waste management specialists with personal protective equipment best suited for the different jobs within the hospital helps limit risk and exposure. By simply wearing gloves, gowns, a mask and shield, and both hair and shoe coverage limit the risk of exposure to biohazard waste.

2.) The use of absorbents helps mitigate and contain bodily fluids; it also helps prevent splashing and spreading while handling said fluids. An important reminder is for the absorbent material: must be disposed of correctly as medical waste.

3.) By storing sharp materials (syringes, scalpels, razors, x-acto knives, scissors, glassware, etc.) in their specially-designed container helps decrease the risk of potential accidents. Regardless of exposure to bio-contaminants, sharps should be treated just as harmful and dangerous. Important to note, glassware with bio-contaminants, even if intact, is to be regarded as sharp as they can break at any point during the disposal process.

4.) Compromised areas within a facility require decontamination. To effectively accomplish this, take a cleaning solution to the affected area followed up with a disinfecting agent. A combination of cleaning and disinfectant spray is acceptable as long as the disinfectant component is EPA approved.

5.) Lastly, while storing medical waste helps to prevent unforeseen accidents, the proper disposal of the waste is of the utmost importance to adhering to OSHA regulations. Following local and state disposal regulations allows for safe disposal methods. Failing to follow these regulations properly can result in hefty fines for one’s facility (e.g., while placing sharps in the correct red bags for disposal supports containment protocols, trashing sharps containers in regular trash dumps violates OSHA guidelines).

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