When healthcare facilities focused on the policies, procedures and regulations for disposing of infectious medical waste, sometimes minute details can fall through the cracks, according to an article on the Infection Control Today website.
For example, considering how much waste is disposed into each biocontamination bag. It's advisable to only fill trashbags two-thirds of the way.
There is less risk of contaminated waste spilling out of the bag, and staff are less likely to sustain an injury from a bag that is too heavy.
On University of Nebraska Medical Center's biocontainment unit, healthcare workers double-bag all solid waste in clear autoclaved bags. Once the bag is secured, a staff member (in full PPE) places the bag in a pass through autoclave located within the isolation unit and/or to a waste holding container. Once sterilized, the waste is placed in a red biohazard bag, bag top twisted, goose necked and placed inside a medical waste shipping box for incineration, according to the article.
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