Colleagues in Massachusetts deserve commendation for their great diligence in collating detailed statistics on the incidence and circumstances of sharps injury among healthcare workers in that State. The level of […]
It is becoming increasingly common to downplay or overlook completely the possibility of bloodborne virus infection after sharps injury or other blood or bloodstained body fluid exposure. The low incidence of […]
A total of £5,024.44 has been donated to East Anglia Air Ambulance as part of the recycling and waste management company’s charity scheme related to health & safety performance. Each […]
Many Trusts and smaller organisations including PCTs and GP surgeries are struggling to implement EU Directive 2010/32/EU, or are they dragging their heels to delay the additional expenditure that will be inevitable? […]
Many waste managers and their clinical colleagues will know the value of sharps safety training that is supported by additional posters and logos etc placed prominently by general waste and sharps […]
The Clinical Waste Discussion Forum has previously considered the risks to ancillary workers and waste handlers of sharps carelessly discarded in clinical waste sacks or laundry, or spilled from inadequately sealed […]
A national cleaning company has been fined £175,000 after a hospital porter was killed by an industrial waste compactor in Bolton. The man’s neck was broken when the lid on the large […]
Sounding more like a troublesome consequence of prostitution, ‘occupational syphilis’ has been recorded in a recent report from the US. Previous reports have described many cases of occupational syphilis in […]
Though the winder has <<so far>> been uncharacteristically mild, outbreaks of winter vomiting virus have been as frequent as ever. Hospitals have reported a substantial number of outbreaks, and these have […]
The information available on local authority web pages creates an essential method of communicating waste-related news to residents and others. A recent update by Cornwall Council (http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=30535) discusses assisted and […]
A TV news report concerning clinical (medical) waste items strewn across a section of grassed roadside in Australia makes interesting listening. Last updated: Saturday, March 17, 2012
The European Biosafety Network and UNISON would like to invite you to attend the European Biosafety Summit in London on Friday 1 June 2012. The Summit is a one day […]
The Indian campaigning group Safenviron claims that untreated clinical and related wastes wastes are finding their way to plastic recycling vendors without first being made safe. “Medical needles, saline bottles, […]
Safer needles that are mandated by EU Directive 2010/32/EU really make a difference. Sharps injuries are reduced, though there is now anecdotal evidence that the implementation of a new safety engineered needle […]
The deadline for mandatory implementation of EU Directive 2010/32/EU is drawing ever closer. As yet, many NHS Trusts are dragging their heels, perhaps awaiting reduced prices as the most popular product […]
In what is claimed to be a systematic review and evaluation of the efficacy of ‘safer sharps devices’, HSE have recently published this work from HSL. Last updated: Saturday, February 25, 2012
A Fife recycling plant was brought to a standstill when a sharps bin was found on the picking line. Of course, that should not happen, and those involved are right to […]
“A worker at Dunedin’s recycling plant is facing a nervous six-month wait for blood test results after being pricked by a discarded syringe. “The incident happened as the woman worked at […]
“Large amounts of hazardous waste have been found dumped around King Fahd Hospital in Al-Hufof. The waste includes used syringes and IV solutions, according to local media reports. Last updated: […]
Belay Anagaw, Yitayal Shiferaw, Berhanu Anagaw, Yeshambel Belyhun, Woldearegay Erku, Fantahun Biadgelegn, Beyene Moges, Agersew Alemu, Feleke Moges & Andargachew Mulu. Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B and C viruses among medical […]
Many waste handlers and ancillary workers inadvertently take their work home with them, on contaminated shoes and on dirty clothing. And now, it seems, so do microbiologists! Last updated: Saturday, […]
The illicit disposal of untreated clinical wastes from hospitals and clinics by insecure landfil or direct sale to scavengers and others involved in the recycling and recovery of items for re-use that […]
After the news item concerning alleged dumping of clinical wastes in the River Yare in Norfolk, there is news of a much more serious incident in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Community-based Environmental […]
A load of construction debris set off radiation alarms at a waste station in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Somewhat bizarrely, investigation revealed a rare find – an antique medical kit containing four capsules […]
Several UK hospitals have been found to breach drug storage security requirements and no doubt after this expose all but the most laissez faire hospital managers will be checking on their […]
For many years now hospital patients had suffered an unacceptably high incidence of serious, sometimes fatal, hospital- or healthcare-associated infections. Only now have these been brought under some degree of […]
Clinical waste management in the clinical environment should be managed to an exemplary standard in order to maintain hygiene standards and eliminate the hazards associated with sharps and sharps injury. But is that […]
Sharps bins had previously been found only in healthcare premises but are now ubiquitous. Many gymnasia and sports stadiums now place a sharps bin in the male toilets – though vehemently deny any suggestion […]
The cost of a sharps injury can be great – at worst, transmission of a life-ending viral infection. However, it is important to look more generally at the cost of […]
After substantial delay, “North Lanarkshire Council’s decision to reject a planning application for a controversial medical waste treatment plant in Shotts could result in the loss of 120 jobs. “Last […]