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Policy It is the policy of FACILITY NAME to handle regulated waste in a safe, appropriate <br />manner. State specific protocols will be followed as required. <br />Definition According to OSHA, regulated waste is defined as: <br />• liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious materials <br />• contaminated items that would release blood or other potentially infectious <br />materials in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed <br />• items that are caked with dried blood or other potentially infectious materials and <br />are capable of releasing these materials during handling <br />• contaminated sharps <br />• pathological and microbiological wastes containing blood or other potentially <br />infectious materials (OPIM). <br />Contaminated All contaminated sharps must be handled as regulated waste and shall be discarded <br />sharps immediately or as soon as feasible in containers that are: <br />- closable <br />- puncture resistant <br />- leakproof on sides and bottom <br />- labeled or color coded <br />During use Containers for contaminated sharps shall be: <br />• easily accessible to personnel and located as close as is feasible to the immediate <br />area where sharps are used or can be reasonably anticipated to be found (e.g. <br />laundries, shower rooms); <br />• maintained upright throughout use; and <br />• replaced routinely and not be allowed to overfill. <br />When moving When moving containers of contaminated sharps from the area of use, the containers <br />shall be: <br />• closed immediately prior to removal or replacement to prevent spillage or protrusion <br />of contents during handling, storage, transport, or shipping; <br />• placed in a secondary container if leakage is possible. <br />The second container shall be: <br />- closable <br />- constructed to contain all contents and prevent leakage during handling, <br />storage, transport, or shipping <br />- labeled or color -coded according to this standard <br />Reusable Reusable containers shall not be opened, emptied, or cleaned manually or in any other <br />containers manner that would expose employees to the risk of percutaneous injury. <br />Continued on next page <br />Beverly Healthcare Infection Control Program Guidelines Page 3.32 <br />