Medical waste or known as the clinical waste generally refers to the biological products that are not in any use. The medical waste disposal actually is one major environmental concern, since lots of medical wastes can be classified as the infectious and bio-hazardous and will spread the infectious disease. The Medical Waste Disposal can be the highly fundamental & crucial step to infection prevention in the healthcare facilities. It’s the highly neglected feature of the infection prevention. The article will highlight some of the risks that are involved in the improper handling of the Medical Waste & explain importance of right Medical Waste Disposal methods.
At healthcare facility staffs have equal responsibility of disposing off the medical waste in the way that poses very less hazard to healthcare workers, visitors, clients, and community. The good housekeeping is a foundation of the good infection prevention. The good housekeeping decreases microorganisms, decreases risk of accidents as well as offers the most work & service-delivery area.
Benefits:
The benefits of right Medical Waste Disposal include:
1. Helps to provide the aesthetically pleasing surrounding atmosphere
2. Reduces spread of the infections & reduces risk of the accidental injury to the staff, visitors, clients, and local community
3. Decreases likelihood of the contamination of soil and ground water with the chemicals and microorganisms
4. Attracts lesser insects & doesn’t attract animals
5. Decreases odors & unpleasant sights.
Who is on Risk?
Anybody who handles the contaminated waste—when it’s thrown out by the service provider to after this reaches on site of the final disposal–is over risk of the injury or infection. In a lot of settings, housekeeping staff might not at all understand the risks. It’s important for the supervisors to make sure the staff know such risks & follow right procedures. Following people face the high risk for suffering from the infections in case Medical Waste Disposal isn’t handled rightly.
The huge percentage of the staff report having professional Medical Waste linked injuries or infections. Sharps (like injection needles) pose higher risk and will cause injury as well as transmission of the serious infections like Hepatitis – B and HIV.
The records show health-care workers generally suffer around 400,000 needle-stick infections each year that can expose them to the blood borne viruses that can risk infection from the transmittable diseases. In case possible, all staff on risk of the sharp related injuries must get vaccinated against Hepatitis – B.
Clients: The staff members who haven’t efficiently carried out the Medical Waste Disposal will easily transmit these infections to their clients.
Community: The improper Disposal of Medical Waste is the highest threats to the members of community. For instance, contaminated Waste will be found by kids who are playing or cause them infection and injury.