08 March 2012
MEMORANDUM
From:
To:
Lee Wilson, Senior Safety Manager
Mr. Paul Lim, Executive Manager, Goodman Environmental
PTE LTD
Subj:
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING BIO/INFECTIOUS
WASTE
Ref:
Ministry of Manpower Guidelines
Encl:
Goodman Environmental PTE LTD Standard Operating
Procedures for dealing with handling infectious waste and
sharps to control infectious diseases
1. Reference (a) provides specific guidelines to be followed
when dealing with these types of materials. Enclosure (1),
contains company guidelines and policies that are followed by
Goodman Environmental with regards to infectious waste.
2. Please address any questions or concerns you might have to
me at 8205 8249 or lee_wilson@pnhgrp.com.
T.L. Wilson
//Signed//
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEURES FOR DEALING WITH INFECTIOUSS WASTES
1. Background: Exposure to human blood and body fluids place
workers at risk of several types of infections.
Definitions:
a. Blood – Blood means human blood, human blood components
such as red and white blood cells, plasma and platelets.
b. Blood Borne Pathogens – means pathogenic micro organisms
that are present in human blood and can cause disease in
humans. These pathogens include but are not limited to
hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
c. Contaminated or Contamination - means the presence or the
reasonably anticipated presence of blood or other
potentially infectious materials on an item or surface.
d. Contaminated Sharps - Generally thought of as used
needles but can also be other objects that can penetrate
the skin including, but not limited to scalpels, broken
glass, broken capillary tubes, and exposed ends of dental
wires.
e. Occupational Exposure - means reasonably anticipated
skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact (i.e.
needle sticks) with blood or other potentially infectious
materials that may result from the performance of an
employee's duties.
f. Other Potentially Infectious Materials - semen, vaginal
fluids, cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal
fluid, pericardial fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in
dental procedures, any unfixed tissue or organ of human
origin (living or dead).
2. Goodman custodial workers and any others with the
possibility to handle potentially hazardous/infectious waste
shall:
a. Receive training on the hazards of working with infectious
waste including considering all contaminated waste to be
infectious. Training should also emphasize handling all
contaminated wastes very carefully to prevent body
contact and accidental injury. Custodial staff must be
particularly aware of the potential for exposure as they
are dealing with potentially infectious materials that
have not been fully processed for disposal and the risk of
inadvertent contact is high. They shall be provided with
hand protection to prevent skin contact with infectious
materials. They shall also receive training with regards
to the importance of observing universal precautions in
the performance of their duties. All needle sticks,
contact with blood, blood products or potentially
infectious body fluids shall be reported immediately.
b. All custodial workers who may have the potential to come
in contact with infectious materials and workers who are
assigned to handle infectious waste that has been packaged
for disposal shall receive immunizations for hepatitis B
and tetanus.
c. Workers assigned to handle packaged infectious waste shall
be provided with puncture-resistant gloves and safety
boots.
3. Our expectations from our partners (customers) include all
materials received by Goodman Environmental shall be properly
packaged to include:
a. Sharps – Sharps shall be properly packaged and secured in
appropriate sharps containers including sealing the
opening to the container.
b. Other infectious materials – Shall be double bagged in
labeled bio-hazardous bags at least one mil in thickness.
c. Once the materials
personnel and have
properly the chain
assumed by Goodman
have been inspected by Goodman
been determined to be packaged
of custody and responsibility is
Environmental. However, the disposal
of non-infectious materials in bio-hazardous bags is
prohibited.
4. Procedures Goodman encourages employees and customers alike
to avoid include:
a. Do not load an infectious waste container beyond its
capacity.
b. Do not compact infectious waste. This process may
disperse the contamination into the air. Also, even
puncture resistant gloves could be punctured by a used
syringe needle, for example if you try compacting
contents with your hands.
c. Do not mix infectious waste with regular trash.
d. Do not reach into any waste container or receptacle which
may contain hazardous waste.