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Practice No. Version 3 Page 1 of 5 Last up-dated
420 March 2011
Reference: HCC AS 10/06 140 The Health and
10/06 HCC AS 10./06 415 Safety at Work etc.
HCC AS 10/06 423 Act 1974
The Control of
Substances
Hazardous to Health
Regulations 2002
The Management of
Health and Safety at
Work Regulations
1999
SPECIFIC PROCEDURE FOR DISPOSING OF
CLINICAL AND OFFENSIVE WASTE
This summarises the arrangements to ensure the safe and efficient handling,
disposal and collection of clinical and other infected or bio-hazardous waste within
the home, in accordance with Health & Safety requirements. Where the waste relates
to ‘sharps’ i.e. needles; syringes; scalpel and razor blades; lancets; other disposable
medical equipment; broken glass and other materials which may be contaminated
with body fluids or chemicals, and may cause laceration or puncture of the skin in
use or during disposal – Guideline 140 must be followed:
1. What is clinical waste?
Clinical waste is any waste which consists wholly or partly of human or animal
tissue, blood, other body fluids - excreted or secreted, drugs or other
pharmaceutical products, swabs, dressings, syringes, needles or other sharp
instruments, being waste which unless rendered safe may prove hazardous
to any person coming into contact with it.
Both the employer and the employee are responsible for protecting the health
and safety of themselves and others when at work or on premises belonging
to Hampshire County Council.
2. Classification of Clinical Waste
Clinical Waste is classified by C.O.S.H.H. in five categories :-
Group A: Human tissues and / or blood (whether infected or not).
Group B: Contaminated disposable sharps, e.g. discarded syringe
needles, broken glass and any other contaminated disposable
sharp instruments or items.
Group C: Microbiological cultures and potentially infected waste from
pathology Departments or other clinical/research laboratories.
Group D: Pharmaceutical products and chemical wastes.
Group E: Disposable containers for faeces, urine and other bodily
secretions / excretions not covered by Group A, e.g.
disposable bedpans, incontinence pads and urine containers.
These guidelines apply to Groups A, & E, which are of direct relevance to the
service. Group C does not apply to this service. Disposal of medication is
covered by HCC AS 06/09 Management of Medication policy.
3. Disposal of Waste
The responsibility for managing waste in readiness for collection is that of the
Registered Manager of the location where the waste is generated. This duty
may be delegated to an appropriate person
3.1. Group A (Clinical) waste
When handling waste in Group A it is essential that all staff observe
scrupulous good practice for infection control. Personal Protective Equipment
MUST be used. Hand washing procedures MUST be observed. It is not
sufficient that only Hand Gel be used in this case.
3.1.1 Group A waste must always be treated as Clinical waste, whether or
not it is known to be infected.
3.1.2 Following good practice in transporting the waste material to the sluice
room, as set out in the relevant guidelines, the waste will be stored for
collection in the white pedal bins with orange lids, as shown below.
3.1.3 The bin liner must not be filled to more than three quarters capacity
and should then be securely tied before removal from the bin, to avoid
spillage.
3.1.4 Accidental spillages of clinical waste will be dealt with in accordance
with guideline 415.
3.1.5 Staff changing the bin liners must wear disposable protective gloves
and aprons at all times and these must also be treated as clinical waste.
3.1.6 All secured bags must be kept in a clearly identified, access
controlled, safe storage area, until collected by the contractor.
3.1.7 Collection of waste will be undertaken by the specialist waste disposal
contractor, as contracted from the Preferred List of Service Sub-contractors to
the home.
Is this a separate agreement or do we now cover this departmentally ?
3.1.8 A Certificate of Collection / Disposal will be issued by the contractor
for each load collected, as confirmation that the load has been disposed of
according to The Environmental Protection Act, the Waste Management
Licensing Regulations and the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and
Wales)Regulations.
3.1.9 These certificates must be retained by the registered Manager as part
of the Quality Records System see guideline No. 423.
3.2. Group E (Offensive) waste
When handling waste in Group E it is essential that all staff observe
scrupulous good practice for infection control. Personal Protective Equipment
MUST be used. Hand washing procedures MUST be observed. It is not
sufficient that only Hand Gel be used in this case.
3.2.1 Group E waste is also termed Offensive waste. It is non infectious
material but it is good practice to handle it by using the same precautionary
measures as for clinical waste.
3.2.2 Following good practice in transporting the waste material to the sluice
room, as set out in the relevant guidelines, the waste will be stored for
collection in the tiger bags, as shown below.
3.1.3 The Tiger bag must not be filled to more than three quarters capacity
and should then be securely tied, before removal from the bin, to avoid
spillage.
3.1.4 Accidental spillages of offensive waste will be dealt with in accordance
with guideline 415.
3.1.5 Staff changing the bin liners must wear disposable protective gloves
and aprons at all times and these must also be treated as offensive waste.
3.1.6 All secured bags must be kept in a clearly identified, access
controlled, safe storage area, until collected by the contractor.
3.1.7 Collection of waste will be undertaken by the specialist waste disposal
contractor, as contracted from the Preferred List of Service Sub-contractors to
the home.
3.1.8 A Certificate of Collection / Disposal will be issued by the contractor
for each load collected, as confirmation that the load has been disposed of
according to The Environmental Protection Act, the Waste Management
Licensing Regulations and the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and
Wales)Regulations.
3.1.9 These certificates must be retained by the registered Manager as part
of the Quality Records System ref. See guideline No. 423
4. Storage areas
Storage areas for clinical and offensive waste must be :-
Clearly identified
Access controlled
Easily cleaned following every collection
Secure from vermin
Not over filled, which may compromise the integrity of the
bags
Containing no other substance or materials except the waste
bags.
Appendix A
Poster for display in sluice rooms for the correct disposal of clinical and offensive
waste. A colour print of this poster should be displayed.
Ref:
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
The Environmental Protection Act, the Waste Management Licensing
Regulations and the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales)
Regulations
All staff are responsible for the correct
disposal of waste into the Cannon bins.
Sharps and Medications MUST NEVER be put into these bins
Offensive waste Clinical Waste
Which is :- Which is :-
Gloves and aprons used for general personal care Gloves and aprons used where there is an
infection
Wet and soiled Continence pads Wound dressings and bandages
Other items contaminated with NON-INFECTIOUS Other items contaminated with INFECTIOUS
body fluids e.g. body spillage residue body fluids e.g. infected urine or sputum
Tiger bags Pedal bins
