Splash and Splatter
Healthcare Workers Still Vulnerable to ‘Splash and Splatter’ In an informative piece in the Conference News section of Medscape, Caroline Helwick reports on a presentation by Amber Mitchell from Vestagen […]
hygiene
Six-figure fines for bloodborne pathogens violations
On September 30, a US administrative law judge upheld seven citations and $186,000 in fines for a uniform laundry service that exposed workers to hazards from bloodborne pathogens and lead. Read […]
Tissue waste disposal – a new option?
Tissue waste disposal is a perennial problem. Incineration is the obvious though not only solution, but it is the problem of prior packaging, segregation and waste handling that creates some, […]
Managing needle disposal safely
It is, to many of us, quite straightforward. Use a sharps bin and ensure that this is securely located away from curious little hands, in a place from where it […]
CQC inspectors criticise unsafe storage of clinical waste
Blenkharn Environmental has worked hard for many years, to identify and improve the safe handling and storage of clinical wastes, in the community, in hospitals, and by waste contractors. Few […]
Moving clinical wastes around a hospital
As far as I know, all but one waste chute have been removed from UK hospitals, first boarded up and then demolished during a later refurbishment or rebuild. They were […]
Whose waste is it anyway?
A couple of years ago, an increasing number of community nurses got a bee in their collective bonnet about the carriage of clinical wastes in their NHS-funded cars. The issue […]
Dirty needles suspected in hepatitis C spread
It comes as no surprise that dirty needles are incriminated in hepatitis C spread, especially among IV drug users. As communities across the state continue to struggle with rising rates […]
Source segregation, Lahore-style
All credit to those involved in the delivery of healthcare waste training in Lahore. Addressing a two-day training workshop on hospital waste management for health managers, nurses and sanitary inspectors […]
Biffa to acquire PHS Wastetech
Biffa Group announced on 22 January that it has agreed to acquire PHS Wastetech, the commercial waste business of PHS All Clear Ltd, for £2.5 million. PHS Wastetech currently has a turnover […]
Clinical waste errors at West Middlesex Hospital
The West Middlesex Hospital infection control standards are not up to scratch, say CQC inspectors. Inspectors from the health watchdog the Care Quality Commission visited the hospital, in Twickenham Road, […]
The 5 most common infectious diseases
The World Health Organization collates a vast amount of data on the prevalence of all infectious diseases, and has recently updated its top 5 list: Hepatitis B Malaria Hepatitis C […]
ISC waste woes
Clinical wastes and indeed just about all other waste streams are managed poorly right across the Indian sub-continent. A good friend living and working in Goa tells tales of almost […]
Contaminated linen and bed roll waste
In the US, OSHA confirms that contaminated healthcare linen is not red bag waste. It’s a complex issue that costs US healthcare systems hundreds of millions of dollars each year […]
Ireland hospital found in breach of hygiene standards
Perhaps not surprisingly, another Ireland hospital has been found in breach of hygiene standards, and clinical waste mismanagement features in the list of failures. Presently, Ireland is in the middle […]
Domestic clinical waste – where to leave it?
Clinical waste from domestic sources has been a particular concern on the Clinical Waste Discussion Forum. Too often, these wastes are managed badly, to the great inconvenience of the patient […]
Ohio temporary waste workers exposed to medical wastes
Temporary workers hired by Ohio State University to separate plastics and cardboard came across medical waste and various medical files, the workers told 10 TV News in Columbus. The workers […]
Saskatoon green initiative fades
Green initiatives in hospital practice can make valuable contributions, to the environment and to environmental protection, and to cost containment. But it can also increase costs and we, as a […]
NICE recommendations for needle risk over beauty treatments
The BBC is today reporting concerns regarding disease transmission – Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B and HIV – associated with hygiene failures during high-street piercing outlets. To offer a piercing service, outlets […]
Clinical waste disposal, Russian style
We cannot forget the many failings in satisfactory clinical waste management reported on the Clinical Waste Discussion Forum with reports from the UK, from north and south America, Europe and Asia, the […]
Hygiene and clinical waste failures at Dublin hospital
A hygiene inspection at Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital has unearthed a “number of failings” which HIQA believes pose a “serious risk” to the health of patients. The unannounced inspection at the […]
NHS trust had filthy maternity wards
An NHS Trust has been warned over filthy maternity wards and uncaring staff. Whipps Cross Hospital has been issued with three formal warnings after inspectors found filthy maternity wards, water placed out […]
Occupational hygiene in MRFs: Is HSE/HSL fit for purpose?
Occupational hygiene implications of processing waste at Materials Recycling Facilities (MRFs): Exposure to bio-aerosol and dust is the title of the latest HSE announcement, introducing a detailed report of endotoxin and […]
How much handwashing?
Those in the commercial sector who provide clinical waste and related waste management services, and those in the healthcare sector responsible for ancillary and support staff, whether directly employed or as […]
Waste from tattooists
Though tattoos seem to be more popular then ever and a permanent adornment of the rich and famous, and those who wish to emulate them, there is much data to suggest that their […]
Sanctions and penalties for unsafe sharps disposal
There have been mutterings recently from the Scottish Parliament of sanctions to be held against healthcare professionals – doctors were singled out but this presumably embraces all – who fail on […]
Updated guidelines for HIV post-exposure prophylaxis after occupational exposure
The US Public Health Service Working Group has published updated guidelines for HIV post-exposure prophylaxis after occupational exposures. This should guide the approach to management of sharps injuries and other […]
Handheld data terminal hygiene
Most, perhaps almost all, clinical waste companies are using handheld data terminals to record customer collections. These devices have many advantages, but what about hygiene? Data terminals may be carried in a […]
Anxious wait for council cleaner
A Sunderland council cleaner faces an anxious wait after a sharps injury incurred while cleaning public toilets in the town centre. The use of effective PPE items is essential, but this […]
Plastic surgery clinic falls foul of regulator
A cosmetic surgeon who was dismissed by a Plymouth treatment centre was subsequently caught performing a four-hour liposuction procedure in the basement of an unregistered clinic in London’s Mayfair, a misconduct hearing was […]