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Sharps Handling and Disposal Page 4 of 5 <br />2. Contaminated non -safety needles shall not be recapped, bent, broken, clipped or otherwise <br />manipulated unless the procedure absolutely requires it, in which case a mechanical device <br />(such as a clamp) or one -handed technique shall be used. Needles with a safety feature once <br />activated may be removed only when the procedure requires it. <br />3. Reusable sharps shall be handled in the safest manner possible. When feasible, they should be <br />handled with a mechanical device such as a clamp. The sharp end of an instrument shall never <br />be manipulated with the hands; only the handled end is to be touched. These precautions are <br />taken before and after sterilization. <br />4. Broken glassware shall be picked up using mechanical means such as a brush and dust pan or <br />tongs. <br />B. Disposal of Sharps: <br />Disposable sharps will be placed directly into the nearest sharps container immediately after <br />use. Sharps containers are predominantly the reusable type in cabinets; other types of sharps <br />containers (e.g., the large reusable ones in a cart on the floors, or the disposable type used <br />off site for clinics or by Home Health) are in use in some areas. Each type of container is <br />labeled with the bio -hazard symbol and is rigid, puncture resistant and when sealed is leak <br />resistant and cannot be reopened without great difficulty. <br />a. Contaminated needles and syringes should be placed intact into the container. <br />b. Other disposable sharp instruments (scalpel blades, etc.) will also be placed directly into the <br />nearest sharps container. <br />c. When sharps need to be transported for proper disposal (i.e., they are too long to be <br />disposed of in the area of usage), they will be placed in a puncture resistant container, <br />labeled with the bio -hazard symbol (or placed in a secondary infectious waste bag), and <br />carefully transported for final disposal into a larger sharps container. Exception: the <br />safest means available requiring the least amount of handling will be used in the Surgery <br />Department; the sharp end of an instrument shall never be manipulated with the hands. <br />2. Contaminated sharps will be disposed of as infectious waste. <br />a. The reusable sharps containers throughout the main hospital building are <br />predominantly managed by Stericycle and will be serviced on a weekly basis. If <br />sharps containers fill (to the indicator mark for replacement) between the scheduled <br />service, Nursing and other using departments will notify Environmental Services <br />(EVS); EVS will place a transport cap or close the lid, remove and replace the <br />container, and transfer it to the designated storage area for pick up. The contents of <br />these containers are handled as infectious (medical) waste per Stericycle Protocol. <br />EVS transfers all reusable sharps containers from the outer buildings and places them <br />in the designated storage area for pick up. <br />b. When the disposable type sharps containers are full (or ready for final disposal), they <br />will be closed and placed into a red barrel container provided by Stericycle which are <br />handled as infectious (medical) waste per Stericycle Protocol. <br />VI. References: <br />Medical Waste Management Act, http://www.dhs.ca.gov/medicalwaste <br />VII. Cross References: <br />Plan — Medical Waste Management Program #10-03-0032 <br />Disposal of Infectious (Medical) Waste Policy and Procedure #40-13-0022 <br />http://dhalts0l /Policy/Policy.nsf/0/2011 CC 13A41 C 1 F2288257A07005427DF?OpenDocu... 9/10/2012 <br />