Understanding Red Trash Bags: A Guide to Proper Disposal of Medical Waste
By understanding what goes into red trash bags and what doesn’t, we contribute to a safer, cleaner world for everyone.
Curtis Bay Energy Pleads Guilty to Improper Handling of Special Medical Waste
Curtis Bay Energy, the owner and operator of a medical waste incinerator facility in Baltimore, has pleaded guilty to charges related to the insufficient treatment and improper handling of special medical waste and the operation and concealment of an unpermitted discharge outlet. This sentence marks one of the largest penalties for an environmental criminal case administered by the Maryland attorney general’s office. Curtis Bay Energy has been placed on a 2-year probation and ordered to
Impact of a Positive Patient Safety Climate on Infection Prevention Practices
New data published in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) provide the first published evidence that a positive safety climate and adherence to standard precautions predict key health care–associated infection (HAI) and occupational health outcomes among patients and health care workers, respectively. The findings highlight features within hospitals’ organizations and safety climates that could be modified to improve these outcomes. “Despite the infection prevention and safety benefits associated with standard precautions, generating consistent adherence
Becton Dickinson, Casella Complete Pilot Recycling Used Medical Devices
This content was written and submitted by the supplier. It has only been modified to comply with this publication’s space and style. Becton Dickinson and Casella Waste Systems have announced the most recent results of a recycling pilot to manage discarded syringes and needles that led to 40,000 lb of medical waste being recycled and diverted from disposal. The circular economy pilot, which took place in the first half of 2023, was the first large-scale
OSHA Gets Ball Rolling on Proposed Rule on Workplace Violence in Healthcare Facilities
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently took a major first step toward developing its anticipated standard regarding violence in the healthcare setting, titled “Prevention of Workplace Violence in Healthcare and Social Assistance.” On March 1, 2023, OSHA convened a Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) panel—an initial step in formulating a new standard that gives representatives of small businesses and small local government entities an opportunity for input. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Rite Aid Agreement Calls for Bloodborne Pathogen Safety Program
Following an incident in which a clerk was told to clean up spilled blood from an injured customer, Rite Aid Corp. must now implement a safety program to better protect employees against hazards related to bloodborne pathogens at its 370 stores in New Jersey and New York. The move is in accordance with an agreement with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration following an investigation into the 2022 incident at a Rite Aid store
Extending Sharps Safety Beyond Hospitals
Drug delivery device designers must consider patient capability in home environments rather than the typical devices engineered for healthcare professionals. Needlestick injuries have fallen 30% since implementation of the U.S. Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act (NSPA) in 2001, but sharps injuries still remain a major occupational hazard. Every year, hospital-based healthcare personnel endure 320,000 needlestick injuries and other sharps-related injuries, roughly 1,000 sharps injuries per day. And, as self-administration in non-clinical settings continues to climb,
Johns Hopkins Professor Speaks on Cutting Healthcare Waste, Highlights New Partnership with Liberty School of Health Sciences
Liberty University School of Health Sciences welcomed Johns Hopkins University Professor of Surgery Dr. Marty Makary to campus on Sept. 14 to share on prevalent issues within the healthcare industry, such as the extreme costs of healthcare and insurance and the importance of challenging current scientific misconceptions. Makary serves as the chief of Islet Transplant Surgery for Johns Hopkins. He is a leading healthcare expert, a Fox News contributor, and a New York Times bestselling
Kaiser Settles for $47 Million Over Dumping Medical Waste
On Sept. 8, with six district attorneys, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a settlement with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals resolving allegations that the healthcare provider unlawfully disposed of hazardous waste, medical waste, and protected health information at Kaiser facilities statewide. As part of the settlement, Kaiser will be liable to pay up to $49 million and required to take steps to prevent future unlawful disposals. Kaiser: Will pay $47.250
