In the medical field, one of the most significant risks that comes along with the job is exposure to sharps. Sharps, which are the byproduct of injections and incisions, can pose a serious danger to medical professionals and need to be properly disposed of to prevent cuts, scraps, and the transmission of blood-borne illnesses.
Here are three quick and effective tips to prevent sharps-related injuries in the workplace.
Immediately dispose of sharps after use. Do not leave sharps lying around on countertops or in workspaces. Instead, discard them immediately after use into approved sharps containers with proper lids.
Do not use a makeshift sharps container as a healthcare facility. You should only be placing your sharps in an approved container that then goes into an approved medical waste box. Using different cans, jars or cardboard containers can lead to improper disposal of sharps into standard waste removal, posing a risk to sanitation workers. If you do not have an approved sharps container, contact a local service providing sharps waste disposal in Lancaster County.
Never mix sharps along with standard waste. Medical waste should be treated as an entirely different entity than standard waste, and should only be disposed of by a company such as Choice MedWaste, which provides official and licensed disposal of sharps in Philadelphia, PA.
Lock the container when it is 3/4 of the way full. Do not try to overfill your sharps container, and do not try to push down the contents to make more room. On the majority of approved sharps containers, there is a fill line that clearly illustrates when the container is full.
Never fish anything out of the sharps container. Always wear gloves when handling your sharps container, and remember to remove all rings, bracelets, or other hand decoration before putting sharps in the container. This will remove the possibility of something falling in with the sharps.
Preventing needle sticks is a team effort this season. By working together, you and your fellow staff members, and our experts at Choice MedWaste can eliminate the risks associated with sharps.