By: MedBag Team
Submitted: 2012-02-22 06:33:53 | Word Count: 569
The use of biohazard bags is mandatory for medical offices, hospitals and other facilities that generate biological waste. What comprises biohazard waste, as well as the bags required for its disposal, is discussed below.
Special disposal bags are needed to dispose of the biomedical waste generated by medical, health and research facilities. Any waste that potentially causes a threat of infection to humans is referred to as biomedical waste. This waste may be generated from a hospital or a research center and includes blood, body parts or tissues from humans or animals and biological waste such as virus or bacteria cultures, bodily fluids or excrement. For the disposal of biomedical waste, the use of red biohazard bags is required, which are then to be kept in a specially designated area for proper disposal.
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Special biohazard bags are also used to handle soiled laundry such as robes, hospital gowns, bed sheets, pillowcases and other linen. Laundry that can be potentially infectious after coming in contact with blood or other bodily fluids is considered as a threat to others in the facility, including the people handling the materials. That is why the laundry needs to be handled in special colored and labeled bags, so that handlers know of the dangerous materials inside.
Biomedical Sharps are another piece of medical waste that requires safe disposal. As is clear from the name, biomedical sharps are pointed items that can cut the skin and potentially infect others. These items include used needles, glass and blades from medical instruments. It is important to add here that sharps not exposed to biological materials, and only have been used in chemicals, are also treated as a biohazard.
Since biohazard waste bags can be punctured by sharps, they need to be disposed of in marked biomedical sharps boxes with the international biohazard symbol on them. Then these boxes are packed in biohazard bags and sent for disposal.
In case biohazard waste is mixed with other types of hazardous materials, then it requires extremely careful disposal. Such wastes need to be stored in red biohazard bags, sealed and labeled appropriately.
Once you have stored the waste in a secure area inside your facility, you must arrange for the waste to be picked up by the related third parties dealing with biohazard wastes. You can also get in touch with the Environmental Health and Safety Department in your community and ask them for assistance or guidelines. You can also obtain the information required to properly dispose of your bio-hazardous wastes from the concerned government authorities.
Make sure you have clearly demonstrated the guidelines for your staff about collecting, handling, storing and disposing of medical wastes. You may also have to train staff dealing with medical waste specifically. They need to know how they can go about cleaning and disposing of the waste without exposing themselves or others at the facility to the risk of infections.
Follow federal, state and county guidelines and rules for biohazard waste disposal if you are associated with a health center or research unit. Keep your facility well stocked with the right waste disposal materials like biohazard red bags so that you never falter and put others at risk from bio hazardous waste.
Author Resource:-
The writer is associated with MedBag, a leading online source of specialty plastic bags for use in the Healthcare industry. MedBag is the industry leader in producing specialized plastic bags, including biohazard bags.
