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L-7 <br />L-:7 <br />Infection Control Committee Policy/Procedure <br />Sharps Handling and Disposal <br />Page 2 <br />will be placed in a puncture resistant <br />container, labeled with the biohazard symbol <br />(or placed in a secondary infectious waste <br />bag), and carefully transported. Exception: <br />the safest means available requiring the <br />least amount of handling will be used in the - <br />Surgery Department; the sharp end of an <br />instrument shall never be manipulated with <br />the hands. <br />d. A mechanical device is to be used to <br />separate needles from vacutainers, with the <br />needles dropping directly into the <br />container. <br />2. Contaminated sharps will be disposed of <br />as infectious waste. <br />a. The sharps containers in the nursing units <br />will be checked by Housekeeping on a daily <br />basis; in addition, Nursing will notify <br />Housekeeping when containers are full <br />throughout the day. In other areas, the <br />department will call Housekeeping when the <br />containers are full. <br />b. When the sharps containers are full, they <br />will be closed and disposed of as infectious <br />waste. <br />