There is a very strong requirement to
dispose utilized sharps, syringes and needles. This requirement for a precise
system of sharps disposal arises
from the damage that can be caused by injury from a utilized needle. The stakes
comprise of contracting blood borne viruses like Hepatitis C and B and HIV from
polluted blood on needles. Even if a needle is not polluted, the psychological
impact of such an injury while awaiting test outcomes can be incredible.
The duties of the employer in the Sharps
Regulation only apply if you are either an employer whose basic work activity
is the management, provision of healthcare or organization or a contractor
working for a healthcare employer and your employees might be at stake of a
sharps injury while on the premises of or working under the supervision and
management of the healthcare employer. This is why usage of a safe sharps container is so important.
The regulation of Control of Substances Hazardous
to Health (COSHH) needs a firm system or process to make sure the polluted
waste is disposed safely. It is clearly mentioned in Sharps Regulations that
safe containers should be placed near to the areas where medical sharps are
utilized. Instruction to the staffs on safe medication disposal should also be placed in those areas.
In various healthcare amenities, sharps
disposal bins can be placed next to the healthcare worker so they can drop the
utilized sharp straightaway. For instance, in wards, this can be done by
putting the sharps container on the trolley. It is also required to have one in
every consultation room.
The purple top for a sharps container are for cyto polluted sharps and are
meant for incineration only. They are suggested for the accumulation,
segregation and disposal of sharps polluted with cytostatic or cytotoxic
medicines.
