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Waste Handling: Difference between revisions
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<li>Infectious sharps, medical sharps, broken contaminated glass and pipettes contaminated with infectious material must be disposed of in leak-proof, rigid, puncture-resistant and break-resistant containers. Sharps containers must be approved by Safety Operations and the UNMC Safety Office. These containers must be sealed shut when they are 3/4 full and placed with the biohazard waste for pick up and disposal. Sharps containers should be bagged and sealed as outlined above if they contain liquids in the form of blood, body fluids or medications. Disposable sharps containers 4 gallons or smaller are sealed closed and placed in the biohazard waste tub for disposal. Larger disposable sharps containers which will not fit into biohazard tubs for shipping must be in a shippable container, approved by DOT for shipment of sharps with no other packaging required. Reusable sharps containers regardless of size are sealed closed and then transported by the vendor to a facility which handles emptying and disinfecting the containers as well as decontamination of the sharps for disposal.</li> | <li>Infectious sharps, medical sharps, broken contaminated glass and pipettes contaminated with infectious material must be disposed of in leak-proof, rigid, puncture-resistant and break-resistant containers. Sharps containers must be approved by Safety Operations and the UNMC Safety Office. These containers must be sealed shut when they are 3/4 full and placed with the biohazard waste for pick up and disposal. Sharps containers should be bagged and sealed as outlined above if they contain liquids in the form of blood, body fluids or medications. Disposable sharps containers 4 gallons or smaller are sealed closed and placed in the biohazard waste tub for disposal. Larger disposable sharps containers which will not fit into biohazard tubs for shipping must be in a shippable container, approved by DOT for shipment of sharps with no other packaging required. Reusable sharps containers regardless of size are sealed closed and then transported by the vendor to a facility which handles emptying and disinfecting the containers as well as decontamination of the sharps for disposal.</li> | ||
<li>The use of re-usable sharps containers is acceptable with the written approval of the UNMC Safety Manager. Containers will be handled and processed in a manner consistent with acceptable regulatory guidelines.</li> | <li>The use of re-usable sharps containers is acceptable with the written approval of the UNMC Safety Manager. Containers will be handled and processed in a manner consistent with acceptable regulatory guidelines.</li> | ||
<li>Non-EPA regulated chemotherapy waste (See | <li>Non-EPA regulated chemotherapy waste (See [http://info.unmc.edu/safety/PDF/2005%20WASTE%20HANDLING%20ATTACHMENTS%20Nov%202009.pdf Attachment 2] for a list of EPA regulated chemotherapy agents), pathological or other waste requiring incineration (human or animal remains or excised tissue) are marked clearly with the "incineration only" stickers provided by the biohazard waste contractor. The stickers are available from the biohazard waste contractor. Information on obtaining the incineration stickers can be obtained from UNMC Safety at 9-7315.</li> | ||
<li>Special Circumstances in Handling Biohazard Waste</li> | <li>Special Circumstances in Handling Biohazard Waste</li> | ||
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<li>Biosafety-Level 3 containment laboratories shall have all waste generated in such labs either decontaminated prior to removal from the lab or wrapped and placed into a sealed container prior to removal from lab for decontamination on site.</li> | <li>Biosafety-Level 3 containment laboratories shall have all waste generated in such labs either decontaminated prior to removal from the lab or wrapped and placed into a sealed container prior to removal from lab for decontamination on site.</li> | ||
<li>Any materials/substances coming out of a laboratory with concentrated infectious agents, such as an HIV/HBV production facility, must be decontaminated on site before leaving the facility.</li> | <li>Any materials/substances coming out of a laboratory with concentrated infectious agents, such as an HIV/HBV production facility, must be decontaminated on site before leaving the facility.</li> | ||
<li>Biocontainment unit biohazard waste will be handled in accordance with acceptable guidelines. Known or suspected Risk Group 4 waste ( | <li>Biocontainment unit biohazard waste will be handled in accordance with acceptable guidelines. Known or suspected Risk Group 4 waste ([http://info.unmc.edu/safety/PDF/2005%20WASTE%20HANDLING%20ATTACHMENTS%20Nov%202009.pdf See Attachment]) is autoclaved on site before leaving the facility.</li> | ||
</ol> | </ol> | ||
<li>Only trained and certified individuals shall sign Regulated Medical Waste (biohazardous) transport shipping papers. These individuals are signing for the organization and as such are not held financially responsible for any penalties or fines that may be imposed by regulatory agencies (i.e., OSHA, DOT, etc) so long as they are acting in a reasonable manner, consistent with their training and UNMC policy.</li> | <li>Only trained and certified individuals shall sign Regulated Medical Waste (biohazardous) transport shipping papers. These individuals are signing for the organization and as such are not held financially responsible for any penalties or fines that may be imposed by regulatory agencies (i.e., OSHA, DOT, etc) so long as they are acting in a reasonable manner, consistent with their training and UNMC policy.</li> | ||