In the process of medical institutions andother establishments of a similar nature there is a huge amount of waste, used materials and substances. They carry a potential danger to human health in case of possible contact, therefore the issue of disposal and neutralization is quite acute.
Depending on what degree of dangerinherent in the substance, the following groups are distinguished. The first group is class A waste. They are also called non-hazardous to humans. These include garbage from administrative premises, materials that have not had direct contact with patients (biological fluids are missing), food residues (except for infectious and venereal departments), furniture, tools and instruments for diagnostics. The second group - waste class B. They are considered hazardous. This category includes all substances that have got blood or other discharges of a sick person, food debris and other materials of infectious departments. If the laboratory performs manipulations with microorganisms of the 3rd or 4th group of pathogenicity, then its waste also belongs to this category. Class B medical waste includes biological materials after surgery.
Особенно опасные отходы принадлежат к группе В.This could include those materials that were used when working with people suffering from dangerous infections (including anaerobic). In addition, the sources of such types of garbage are laboratories conducting studies of microorganisms 1-4 degrees of pathogenicity. Class G are those elements that represent a certain toxic hazard. This may be drugs with an expiration date, the same means for disinfection. Unsafe are drugs or devices that have in its composition of mercury. The last category is D class waste. This group includes those materials that contain radioactive components.
Class B medical waste is collected inspecial packages or containers. They must be yellow or at least have such a label. The collection of liquids or biological waste is carried out in a container, the lid of which should fit snugly. This is necessary to exclude the possibility of arbitrary opening of the container. Sharp objects are also collected in such containers for Class B waste. Plastic bags are fixed on special carts. It is necessary to fill them with ¾. Then packages are tied so that the loss of waste is excluded. It is strictly forbidden to move containers in open form outside the area of the unit. At the end of the packaging must be signed. Indicate the name of the organization, department, surname of the person who conducted the collection of materials. Be sure to affix the date. After all the manipulations are carried out, the packages and containers are transported to the place of temporary storage.
To the method of storage of medical wasteThere are a number of requirements. First of all, they must be moved to a separate room. It is not allowed to mix materials that belong to different safety classes. If the preliminary disinfection was not carried out, the waste of class B is placed in specialized chambers with low temperature. If the substances are not dangerous, then storage is allowed on the open site, but not less than 25 meters from the medical buildings and blocks in which there are food products. However, it happens that the territory does not allow to take such a place. In this case, for waste B and C classes, storage in the utility room (in freezing facilities) is permissible. The entrance of unauthorized persons and the use of storage for other purposes is strictly prohibited. Class B waste is exported outside the medical institution in an airtight container.
Since the risk of infection by medical staff is sufficienthigh, all waste is disinfectable. One of the methods used is chemical. It provides treatment with special solutions, the impact of which is aimed at inhibiting pathogenic flora. Produced directly on the site of accumulation of contaminated materials. However, chemical disinfection of class B waste has significant drawbacks. First of all, this is what medical personnel directly contact with unsafe means. In addition, the cost of their acquisition increases. Therefore, this method is used in the event that it is not possible to conduct high-quality disinfection using special-purpose devices.
In a better and more efficient way.purification of hazardous substances (before the disposal of medical waste class B) is hardware. A room with a separate entrance is used in which the appropriate microclimate is maintained at a certain level. Humidity should be at around 70%, the temperature inside - about 20 ºС (but not more than 25 ºС). Internal lining provides the possibility of its disinfection. Very important for such premises is the ventilation system, the presence of watering valves. A significant advantage of this method is that it is allowed not to carry out measures for disinfection at the place of formation of medical debris. Also biological residues after surgical interventions are not subject to disinfection. Class B medical waste of this type is disposed of by the method of burial or cremation. There are also enterprises that specialize in the collection, transportation, and further processing of the products of medical institutions.
In order to minimize the risk of infection,hospital staff and similar establishments are required to adhere to certain rules. The use of gloves in any contact with waste is mandatory. It is forbidden to carry out any manipulations with needles from syringes (for example, to self-remove it after injection, to separate from the needle holder). Do not transfer Class B waste to other containers without sealed packaging. All sharp objects must be collected in a solid container. It is also unacceptable to place containers for the collection of hazardous substances near heaters. And, of course, it is forbidden to store such material in unpacked form.
In every medical institutionA responsible officer is appointed to handle all waste handling. At the control of production, a visual check and documentary are carried out. The presence of packaging for packaging waste is examined, it is determined whether there are means to protect personnel. Also control over the modes of disinfection and the regularity of removal of the material. Records are kept in special journals. Another type of control that occurs once a year is microbiological. There is a measurement of climate parameters in the working room, the quality of disinfection. Air samples are also taken. With the help of analyzes the degree of contamination by toxic elements is established.
