Waste Medic offers medical waste disposal solutions will help your organization safely and properly manage hazardous materials. Our services for medical waste disposal include customized plans for biohazardous waste, sharps waste, pharmaceutical waste, and trace chemotherapy waste. What are some of the improper ways facilities can be caught red-handed when it comes to medical waste packaging? The ability to propely tie red biohazard bags is critical.
Tie Red Biohazard Bags the Right Way
Waste Medic understands the importance of medical waste removal and the important compliance regulations there are placed on the process. One simple (and often overlooked) step in your waste stream is how to properly tie red biohazard bags after they bag are sufficiently filled. Having a properly sealed bag is a regulatory requirement for packaging your medical waste for shipment and is also crucial in avoiding injury in your facility prior to pick-up. There are right ways and wrong ways to tie a medical waste bag once its full. The right way will mean that your bag will be less likely to leak if turned upside down.
You can’t just tie a red bag up like a bow like you do with your kitchen trash bags at home. Red bags must be securely closed to prevent the contents from escaping. If you can hold it upside down and it doesn’t leak, then you’ve done it correctly. To tie a red bag, use an overhand knot, then a zip tie, or a twist tie. Additionally, you can seal the red bag with duct tape for extra support. It helps to seal the bag with a minimum of entrapped air.
Don’t Overfill the Sharps Container
The United States Food and Drug Administration recommends facilities fill sharps containers only ¾ full to prevent injury. Overflowing sharps containers put healthcare workers at risk, because they can accidentally get stuck with a needle from an unknown source. Additionally, overfilling or stuffing the backs makes the ability to tie red biohazard bags much more difficult.
Improper Labeling
There are numerous and specific federal markings required for biohazardous waste, including the biohazard symbol, this-side-up arrows, signs that dictate regulated medical waste (RMW)… all of which must be present and clearly visible. There are also state regulations on properly labeling as well. Improperly labeling containers poses a risk to staff, patients, and the community, and can result in penalties and fines for non-compliance.
Waste Medic understand the complex federal, state, and local guidelines. Count on the team at Waste Medic to manage your waste stream efficiently, effectively, and safely.
Why Choose Waste Medic
Our personalized approach to medical waste disposal and compliance needs enables us to provide our clients with exceptional service at very competitive rates. We understand the medical waste needs of your business and can offer medical waste consulting including organizational assessments and planning, cost reduction management, and contract negotiation or termination. Waste Medic takes pride in designing customized service packages, ensuring compliance and confident waste stream management at an affordable cost.
