Helicopter slices roof off truck carrying hospital wastes
A police helicopter preparing to take off from a road in a Brazilian city was seriously damaged, and two of its occupants were injured, when a passing lorry came too […]
safety
Regulator acts after potential ‘risk to human health’ at warehouse
Steps have been taken at a warehouse unlawfully filled with more than 400 tonnes of NHS clinical waste after the Environment Agency raised concerns over a potential “significant risk to […]
Stench of rotting medical waste including body parts ‘ruins resident’s life’
Clinical hospital waste –including body parts – has been left piled up in bags at a site for nearly a year. A woman who lives nearby claims her life has been […]
Sharps injury risk in jails
Staff infected by dirty needles in drug-ridden jails have won £734,000 in payouts in last 3 years. The settlements, including legal costs, were made to as few as nine people, […]
Body parts remain in abandoned warehouse after a year
Healthcare Environmental Services in Longbenton, North Tyneside, built up stockpiles of body parts and other medical waste and was ordered to dispose of the stored material. It went into liquidation […]
GP surgeries forced to store clinical waste in toilets
Pulse is reporting that GP surgeries in Derbyshire are being forced to store clinical waste in toilets after missed collections. Multiple GP surgeries have had to keep clinical waste in their […]
Waste sector risks
Baling machines, shredders and the like present a significant risk of serious injury to workers in the waste sector. In Thailand, a worker using a baling machine to compress plastic […]
Rise in needle injuries following HSE Ltd??
Rise in needle injuries following collapse of hospital waste disposal firm. Union bosses have blamed the spate on untrained porters being made to work with hazardous materials. A Scottish health board […]
Call for extra funds for waste management issues
Health chiefs are being urged to plough more resources into Renfrewshire’s main hospital after inspectors uncovered a string of hygiene failures. Concerns have been raised that extra investment is needed to […]
Gloves for hospital porters
Following up on a recent “expose” in which hospital porters were said to be handling clinical wastes without gloves – or were they – is another and more detailed report, […]
Hospital porters injured handling clinical waste
Four porters at Inverness’ Raigmore Hospital were injured carrying out work involving clinical waste, the GMB union has said. The union has submitted a collective grievance to NHS Highland about the […]
But isn’t that their job?
An ‘outcry’ has erupted over the disposal of hazardous waste as untrained NHS staff are ordered to deal with ‘clinical rubbish’ So screams the latest Daily Record headline. “Hundreds of staff […]
Catalogue of injuries for NHS Tayside staff
Health workers in Tayside are injured by patients in their care on a more than daily basis, figures have shown. Staff have been subjected to acts of aggressive behaviour or disclosed […]
Concerns raised over clinical waste storage at Menston ambulance station
Nearby residents raised concerns last week after spotting large shipping containers in the station’s car park being loaded with clinical waste bags. “Over the last couple of weeks it appears […]
Anatomy of a clinical waste sector in turmoil
Materials Recycling World report that, as we know, the waste sector has hit the mainstream media headlines again – this time the specialist world of clinical waste services. A serious […]
NHS pays compensation to 1,200 staff after needlestick
More than 1,200 NHS staff have won compensation after being injured by needles potentially infected with HIV or hepatitis over the past six years. Official figures reveal an “unacceptable” picture […]
HES Normanton stored waste for months, freezer turned off
In yet another shock horror news report it is claimed that HES were storing mountains of waste and ‘body parts’ in a freezer that for months had the power turned […]
Clinical waste sacks found in Swindon street
Bags containing IV tubes and “pooled blood” were found in the street by a “shocked” passer-by. Toby Robson found several biohazard bags to his “horror and disgust” in Prospect Place, […]
Used needles found dumped in Cornish towns
A warning has gone out to parents after a used needles were found dumped in two Cornish towns. One was found on the path on Tower Road in Newquay on […]
Canvey not clearing needles and clinical waste
Needles and clinical waste are not being collected raising fears about disease and the safety of bin collectors. Castle Point Council is due to take over the collection of clinical […]
Man died 20 years after prick from infected needle
A man with a learning disability who contracted Hepatitis B from a dirty needle while gardening died due to the virus twenty years later. Dermot Redmond (53) from Walkinstown Road […]
Discarded needles won’t “jump out and bite you”
In a comment that perhaps rates as the most arrogant and ill-advised comment ever made regarding sharps safety, health ‘officials’ are urging Londoners to become more educated about discarded needles […]
The workers are revolting!
Striking workers trash Johannesburg Hospital The disruptive actions of striking workers at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital are unacceptable and need to be dealt with decisively, the Democratic Alliance said on Sunday […]
Clinical Waste & Environmental Compliance Officer/Quality Controller/Auditor
Medical / Clinical Waste & Environmental Compliance Officer / Quality Controller / Auditor that has previous experience working within a Healthcare Waste Management role is required by a well-established, leading […]
NHS buys mobile needle exchange for addicts amid HIV ‘outbreak’
The NHS has bought a mobile needle exchange for heroin addicts to use in a bid to halt an “uncontained HIV outbreak” in Scotland’s largest city. It is estimated that […]
Devon nurse took used syringe from sharps bin – thought it was OK!
A staff nurse at North Devon District Hospital thought it was OK to take a used syringe out of a sharps bin and claimed she didn’t know that it was […]
Cuts in Carmarthenshire services?
The BBC are today reporting a range of Local Authority cuts in Carmarthenshire. Hitting the headline are cuts to school crossing patrols that will go ahead despite fears children’s safety will […]
Sharps waste dumped in Totnes
Sharps boxes containing used hypodermic needles are being found dumped in bushes around an area of a supermarket car park used by thousands of shoppers. Over the last few months, […]
Lab safety concerns – do they put you at risk?
An interesting and timely exclusive in The Guardian highlights the frequency of serious safety incidents in UK laboratories (NHS, private, research labs & universities, commercial) which create significant risks of […]
Clinical waste community collections
“Bracknell man raises fears over medical waste bins being left outside homes” is a newspaper report outline the fears of a resident concerned about clinical waste containers, sharps containers in […]