Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Effective Strategies For Medical Waste Disposal TN

By Cornelia White


The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Solid Waste Management is the authority dealing with effective methods of medical waste disposal TN. This type of rubbish includes used needles and syringes, in hospital and home environments, and there are various reasons why the correct methods of throwing these items away is very important. The main reason is that someone could contract a serious disease from these items.

Most people are aware of the fact that diseases such as HIV, AIDS, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are present in society. These types of diseases are passed on through blood and certain body fluids, and they can be contracted through used needles and syringes that are infected. There have been cases where this has happened, and it is therefore very important that sharps are correctly disposed so that future accidents can be avoided.

In a home environment, the persons involved will need to place the needles into a plastic or other sturdy container that cannot be punctured. Local pharmacists sell special containers for this purpose, or you can use something like a coffee can or plastic bottle. The container must have a lid, so that it can be properly closed once the needles have been placed inside.

Although the needles are now properly contained, the holder must still be marked. This warns others of its potentially harmful contents. Either buy labels for your holders, or attach masking tape which can be written on with a permanent marker pen. You should indicate that the holder contains bio-hazardous material.

Once the sharps are correctly contained and labeled, they can be thrown away. Staff at hospitals are more aware of the dangers regarding sharps because they receive training from organizations such as the Occupation Safety and Health Administration and the Red Cross. They will dispose of sharps in special containers that are easily accessible.

When a nurse or doctor handles a needle, he or she should be wearing latex gloves. The patient should also know that they are about to receive an injection, so that they do not get a fright. If the patient moves suddenly, it could lead to an accidental prick.

In hospitals or clinics, needles are also not given to another person like they are a harmless object. They are first placed into a sterilized holder, and then passed on to the next person. If such procedures are followed, there is less chance of an accident. When the hazardous bins at hospitals are full, they are usually taken away by a contracted company. The company may also need to provide proof that they have disposed of the materials.

Should anyone come into contact with a potentially contaminated sharp, the relevant authorities will need to be informed. This is because blood tests will need to be taken from the injured and the person who was given the injection. For the safety of all, you should ensure that you are aware of the effective ways of medical waste disposal TN.




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