Safety and Risk Services
A Self Learning Module
Directions:
Read the information and complete the competency assessment at end of module.
Remove competency assessment and return to:
Safety and Risk Services
MSC07 4100, 1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
Keep the rest of the module for your reference.
Revised 8/09
Part 1
Defining Infectious Waste
What is infectious waste?
 A waste that carries a probable risk of transmitting disease or illness to humans
 A waste capable of producing an infectious disease
Infectious waste includes:
 Human blood, blood products and other potentially infectious body fluids
 All needles
 Sharp objects contaminated with potentially infectious agents (needles, razor blades
scalpel blades, syringes, pasteur pipettes, broken glass and devices used to transfer
innoculate and mix cultures)
 Biological laboratory wastes containing potentially infectious wastes: including
cultures, stocks, culture dishes
 Pathological wastes: human or animal tissues, organs or body parts
 Animal carcasses, body parts and bedding containing potentially infectious agents
 Disposable equipment, utensils and instruments containing potentially infectious
agents
What are blood products and other potentially infectious body fluids?
 Fluids containing HIV and Hepatitis B and C virus
 Serum, platelets and plasma
 Examples of body fluids include blood, semen, vaginal secretions, lymph fluids,
cerebrospinal fluids, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial and aminotic fluids
 Body secretions such as saliva, sweat, tears, sputum, nasal discharges, vomitus, urine
and feces are not considered infectious waste unless visibly contaminated with blood
(note: a bandage with a spot of blood on it is not considered infectious waste)
What is a sharp?
 Material very sharp in nature
 Material that can become sharp when broken or bent
 Easily punctures skin
 Includes needles, syringes, intravenous tubing with attached needles, scalpel blades,
razor blades and other similar items
 Includes hard plastic capable of breaking or shattering
 Includes pipettes, broken glass and all items capable of puncturing skin
Revised 8/09
Part 2
Handling Infectious Waste
What training should we have before handling infectious waste?
 Blood borne Pathogens training: Persons working with blood or blood products
 Animal Contact Training: Persons working with animals
 Infectious Waste Management Training: Persons working with any waste that
carries a probable risk of transmitting disease or illness to humans
 Biosafety Training: For persons working with infectious/pathogenic agents with
the potential to cause disease or illness in healthy people, animals or plants
What personal protective equipment do I need?
 All persons handling infectious waste must wear impermeable gloves (non-soak
through gloves)
 Examples include non-soak through vinyl or rubber gloves
 For splash hazards: Wear eye protection or a face shield
 For soaked hazards: Wear aprons, lab coats, gowns or outer protective covering
 For walk-through hazards: Wear booties or shoe covers
Are Infectious, Biohazardous and Biomedical wastes handled differently?
 No, these terms are actually interchangeable
 All indicate the waste is potentially infectious to humans
Part 3
Storing Infectious Waste
How is infectious waste stored?
 Must be kept separate from non-infectious waste
 Infectious waste mixed with non-infectious waste will be handled as infectious waste
 Try to minimize storage time duration
Where is infectious waste stored?
 Area accessible only to authorized personnel
 Area must be ventilated to outdoors
 Area must be marked with a warning sign, label or warning (see below)
 Area must prevent:
exposure to general public
animal intrusion
insect proliferation
exposure to weather
What is infectious waste stored in?
 Red or orange labeled bags are used (often called Biohazard bags)
 Bags must be well sealed when full
 For leak or drip hazards: rigid, leak-proof containers are used
 Rigid containers must be decontaminated if used again
Revised 8/09
 For sharps: use red puncture-resistant containers with a biohazard symbol and
warning
 All containers must be labeled and have covers in place
What labels are used?
 The universal biohazard symbol must be displayed
Symbol must be readable from 25 feet away
 A written message (label) must also be displayed such as:
Biohazard or Biohazardous
Infectious Waste
Biomedical Waste
How long can we store infectious waste?
 Must not be stored for more than 90 days
Part 4
Disposing of Infectious Waste
Can infectious waste be discharged to the sewer?
 Liquid infectious waste may be discharged to the sanitary sewer system (sinks,
toilets) and never to the storm sewer system (gutters, parking lot drains)
 Sewage treatment system must provide secondary treatment of waste
Albuquerque, Gallup and Los Alamos sewage treatment systems meet this criteria
 Waste must:
Be liquid or semi-solid
Not contain a radioactive component
Not contain a hazardous chemical component
Not contain any other regulated materials
 Examples of waste that can go into the sewer include:
A mixture of blood and up to 24% alcohol
A mixture of blood and up to 100 ppm formaldehyde
How is infectious waste removed from each building?
 At UNM a private contractor is used to remove infectious waste from each building
 The UNM contractor is currently Medical Compliance Services of Albuquerque
 Building occupants are encouraged to bring infectious waste to a central area in each
building for pickup
 Medical Compliance Services then takes the waste to their waste processing facility
 Medical Compliance Services uses a chlorine compound to sterilize most waste
 Some waste is shipped out of state to be destroyed by incineration (burning)
What is steam sterilization?
 Procedure used to transform infectious waste into non-infectious waste
 Autoclaves are used for steam sterilization
 At UNM sterilized waste is still treated as infectious if steam sterilized
Revised 8/09
Part 5
Emergency Procedures
What should we do in the event of a spill?
 Wear appropriate personal protective equipment
Examples: impermeable gloves (non-soak through gloves) and safety glasses
 Clean all spill contact areas with soap or appropriate detergent
 Disinfect thoroughly with a fresh dilute bleach solution (1:10 dilution with water)
 Other germicidal disinfectants may be used if:
Registered with the Environmental Protection Agency
Material is certified to kill the infectious agent spilled
 Soak up liquids with absorbent pads
 Place all spill clean up materials in red biohazard bags
What should we do if we are exposed to infectious waste?
 First determine if you have been exposed
Was a contaminated needle involved?
Was a sharp involved?
Did infectious agents come in contact with any broken skin?
Were the mucous membranes involved (mouth, nose or eyes)?
 Disinfect with a germicidal disinfectant
 If eyes were involved, flush with water for at least 15 minutes
 Regular duty hours: report to Employee Occupational Health Services
 Non regular duty hours: report to University Hospital Emergency Room
For more information:
Contact Safety and Risk Services 27702753 and ask for Storage, Handling and Disposal
web site
http://srs.unm.edu/
Revised 8/09
Infectious Waste
Competency Assessment
Date:___________________________Dept:____________________________________
Name:___________________________________
1.
Infectious Waste is defined as:
a.
Waste from an infectious source.
b.
Waste that carries a probable risk of transmitting disease to humans.
c.
Any garbage.
d.
Hospital waste.
2.
Infectious Waste includes all of the following except:
a.
Human blood, blood products.
b.
Needles.
c.
A bandage with a spot of blood.
d.
Human or animal tissues, organs or body parts.
3.
A “Sharp” is defined as:
a.
A type of pen.
b.
Material that can become sharp when broke or bent.
c.
Only infected needles.
d.
Medical tools.
4.
Biohazardous and Biomedical wastes are handled differently
a.
True
b.
False
5.
Infectious Waste may be disposed:
a.
In red or orange bags that are properly labeled.
b.
In the regular garbage.
c.
At the loading dock.
d.
With radioactive materials.
6.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes all of the following except:
a.
Face Shield
b.
Shoe Covers
c.
Barrier Creams
d.
Lab Coats
7.
Liquid infectious waste may be discharged to:
a.
The storm sewer.
a.
Parking lot drains.
b.
Sinks and toilets.
c.
None of the above.
Revised 8/09
8.
What should you do in the event of a spill of Infectious waste?
a.
Wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment.
b.
Clean the spill with soap or an appropriate detergent.
c.
Disinfect thoroughly.
d.
All of the above.
9.
What do you do if you are exposed to infectious waste?
a.
Report to Employee Occupational Health or University Hospital
Emergency room.
b.
Wash with a 1:10 dilution of bleach.
c.
Do not worry, most infectious waste is harmless.
d.
Put a biohazard symbol on your ID badge and stay away for others for 24
hours.
10.
Additional training for workers exposed to infectious waste may include:
a.
Bloodborne Pathogens Training.
b.
Animal Contact Training.
c.
Biosafety training.
d.
All of the above.
Upon completion, return your assessment to:
Safety and Risk Services
MSC07 4100, 1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
Revised 8/09