Better Medical Waste Management Resolutions
Here’s how medical waste producers can resolve to have a solid plan for optimal safety and regulation.
With the new year upon us, it’s a good time for medical waste producers to reevaluate their areas and come up with safer, more effective processes for medical waste removal. For busy laboratories, medical offices, medical spas, tattoo parlors, and veterinary practices, having a medical waste removal plan and following the plan to the letter ensures that medical waste is managed, safe, compliant, and reduced. Here’s how these facilities can resolve to have a solid plan for optimal safety and regulation.
Segregate Waste Properly
The process of segregating wastes into the right categories can greatly reduce the volume of what’s considered regulated medical waste. You wouldn’t put paper trash into red bag waste, nor would you put sharps in a trash receptacle. In these situations, you’re either paying for unnecessary services or violating OSHA regulations, thereby costing more in fines and penalties.
Reduce Packaging As Needed
A significant portion of medical waste removal is the packaging used to contain medical waste. Employ the use of reusable sharps containers and only empty containers when they are full. Don’t use large-sized red bags for smaller red bag waste volume. Rely on reusable regulated medical waste containers.
Know Where You Store Your Waste
Medical waste containers should not be stored in common areas that are available to common traffic. Be sure to have an accumulation area designated for certain staff, be sure that sharps containers are stored on the wall properly and at the right height. Inspectors will check to see that your medical waste isn’t sitting out and in the open.
Resolve to Offer a Compliance Refresher Course
If your staff isn’t current on the latest regulations, or if new employees don’t understand the different types of medical wastes and how they should be handled, what they don’t know could cost you if an inspector finds you in non-compliance. In fact, each non-compliant item on an OSHA checklist could carry a fine of up to $7,000. Red Bags can assist your facility with our online OSHA Compliance Training Program to help prepare you and your staff for a medical waste inspection, as well as maintaining compliance all throughout the year.
Employ a Reputable Medical Waste Removal Company
States govern how and when medical waste is transported and treated with various permits and laws, so it is up to you make sure medical waste isn’t hauled off by an uninsured, untrained individual. Not only is this a detriment to your practice and your community, it’s against the law.
The best way to keep your medical waste removal resolutions is to work with a certified and professional medical waste removal provider like Red Bags. Established by professionals with extensive experience in the medical waste business, Red Bags helps our customers to stay in compliance with the law.
Contact Red Bags today to discuss our full-service options, from pickup to training and compliance.
Service Areas: Long Island Medical Waste; New York City Medical Waste; Westchester Medical Waste and more!