Sharps Safety 101 Although most associate the term “sharps” with needles and syringes, any medical device that is sharp and can cut or puncture skin falls under this umbrella and needs to be disposed of as such. Along with needles and syringes, lancets (also called a “finger stick”, commonly used for diabetes treatment), infusion sticks, auto injectors and connection needles classify as “sharps”. In 2011, the Coalition for ...
The Surface Disinfectant that Protects without Harmful Effects Germs are everywhere. A recent survey reported that up to 60% of travelers have bacteria on their fingers, and with patients touching surfaces in dentist and doctors’ offices daily, it’s no wonder that these locations are breeding grounds for germs. It’s also why it’s incredibly important for doctors, dentists and anyone that encounters patients to disinfect ...
One hundred years ago, a pandemic swept across the globe, killing 675,000 Americans and over 50 million people worldwide. The culprit? Influenza—more commonly known as the flu. Since 1918, technology has advanced and the CDC has helped Americans become more aware and prepared for flu season. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness that’s caused by the influenza virus and infects the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. ...
Although pain relievers are prescribed to alleviate pain, some individuals find them to be the source of all their troubles—even the source of their death. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 116 Americans die from opioid-related drug overdoses each day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that opioid overdose deaths have increased over 30% in the last year, ...
Sharps Mail Back systems are becoming more of a standard for healthcare facilities and non-healthcare facilities that may have employees or family members that self-inject. Certain government bodies provide guidance as to how you can dispose of waste and what to do if you have a situation where an employee or family member is stuck by a needle. A few good resources for more information about this: FDA - ...
Background The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have closely monitored and tested the effects of mercury and its use in the dental industry for many years. Since the early 1990s, these agencies have been researching the link between human and environmental health issues and mercury that originated in dental offices as dental amalgam ...
There is a common misunderstanding regarding the hierarchy of regulatory authority for medical facilities and how regulatory requirements differ by state. In this blog we will cover the following: What is OSHA's role in regulating regulated medical waste (RMW) History of medical waste and who enforces the regulations What are the different requirements by state Bio Hazardous Waste and Sharps Waste are all considered Regulated ...
Just like Healthcare facilities, tattoo shops, and dental offices, the Veterinary practices are also supposed to manage their waste and effectively dispose of it. The syringes used for vaccination and administration of antibiotics can cause various infections including HIV and HBV to the flurry of pet patients and pet parents sitting in the office region. In a detailed, the waste for veterinarian clinics is classified under ...
The growing concern for the accumulation of mercury in fish and its environmental consequence has led some national and local agencies to come up with strict regulations of mercury in wastewater. When talking about mercury waste, dental offices have been identified as a major contributor of causing mercury waste (in the form of dental amalgam) environmental exposure. Recognized agencies have asked the dental practices to ...
Providing clarity to the question, How do I dispose of my needles? Nowadays, many patients are using injectable medicines and syringes at home. However, not every patient is aware of how to dispose of needles safely and effectively. Most users are tossing the needles, syringes and other medical wastes into dustbins or flushing them into toilets. Those methods are dangerous and incorrect practice of disposing self-injectors, ...
