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Biochem Owner Accused of Mismanaging Medical Waste: ‘The Most Egregious Violations We Have Seen’

Biochem Technical Services LLC (Biochem) and its owner, Raoul Keith Mangrum Jr., are accused of violating the state public health code involving mismanagement of medical waste. The waste includes body tissue samples, contaminated bandages and laboratory equipment. A complaint was filed in Oakland County Circuit Court on Dec. 10 on behalf of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), Materials Management Division. EGLE alleges that Mangrum removed medical waste from his clients’ […]

Providers Want More Training, Resources on Managing Medical Waste

Healthcare providers and administrators want more training and resources on waste management, a new survey has found. The survey was conducted by Stericycle, a provider of medical waste management, reaching 500 healthcare workers, 350 of whom are clinicians and 150 of whom are administrators. The findings were put into Stericycle’s first report on healthcare workplace safety. More than half of providers and administrators feel their organization should spend more labor and funds on biohazardous waste […]

Detroit Man Apologizes for Stockpiling Medical Waste in Storage Units

A Detroit man who is being sued by authorities for stockpiling medical and laboratory waste in rental storage units apologized when contacted by phone this week, saying he was overwhelmed by the business he started. “I didn’t do any of what I did maliciously. I was just trying to make some money,” said Raoul Mangrum Jr., who, as owner of Biochem Technical Services LLC, allegedly violated state waste disposal laws in a manner that drew […]

OSHA: What To Expect In 2022

COVID-19 created great upheaval throughout the economy and the legal compliance world as well. The pandemic has been a great disruptor and has brought rules, regulations and related agency guidance that have served to overwhelm even the most conscientious and attentive employer. The welcomed arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, and now the perhaps less welcome OSHA vaccine mandate, simply add to an employer’s compliance burden. While OSHA is busy attempting to implement its vaccine/testing mandate, it […]

Why OSHA Will Start Fining Workplaces Up to $13,653 in 2022

The Fifth Circuit Court shot down the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard back in November, and many people thought it was never to return. But, the Sixth Circuit court brought it back last Friday, and OSHA declared it would begin enforcement on January 10, 2022. Any business that fails to comply with Biden vaccine mandate, which affects companies with at least 100 employees, may face fines. For a serious violation, a fine […]

Former NY Hospital Employee Charged with HIPAA Violation

New York-based Huntington Hospital began notifying 13,000 patients of a data breach that exposed protected health information (PHI) and resulted in a former employee being charged with a HIPAA violation. Huntington Hospital discovered on February 25, 2019, that a night shift employee was improperly accessing electronic medical records without role-based authorization. Further investigation revealed that the employee accessed PHI continually from October 2018 to February 2019. The hospital immediately suspended the employee, and he was […]

COVID-19: Research Unmasks the Environmental Impact of PPE

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all areas of life. People, organizations, and governments have tried to adapt behavior to stay safe and minimize the risk of infection. One particular area of focus has been protection — most commonly via the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks and gloves. When people use PPE correctly, they can reduce their risk for severe illness or injury. However, it is also critical to consider how […]

California Sues Walmart for Alleged Illegal Hazardous Waste Disposal

California will join 12 district attorneys in suing Walmart, alleging the retail giant has repeatedly violated state laws against hazardous waste disposal over the past six years. In a press conference Monday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) accused the company of disposing of materials such as lithium and alkaline batteries, LED lightbulbs and pesticides in disposal sites that are not equipped for them. “We’re not talking about a few batteries. … Walmart’s own audits […]

The Environmental Cost of Getting Sick

As we’ve all paid a lot more attention to avoiding illness the past couple of years, we’ve also had to think about some new kinds of waste. We’re figuring out how to recycle disposable masks and properly dispose of cloth masks to avoid PPE pollution. We worry whether all those little plastic bottles of hand sanitizer will end up polluting the ocean and if cloth masks expose us to toxins. It’s almost enough to make […]

Pharma & Climate Change: How Can Companies Make Meaningful Contributions?

The industry is rarely mentioned among the chief planet polluters — and companies are intensifying their sustainability efforts to make sure it stays that way. In August, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body of scientists convened by the United Nations, issued a long-anticipated report. You probably heard about it: Based on more than 14,000 studies and approved by the government of every U.N. member nation, the IPCC report is the most comprehensive […]

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