Here’s the Training Everyone Handling Medical Waste Must Have

Anyone who’s handling or exposed to medical waste in your organization is required by law to take the proper compliance training courses and any updates or follow up training. Making this training a priority is key to ensuring that your facility remains compliant and also to protecting your staff and the community from the harmful effects of mishandled medical waste. OSHA requires that new employees be trained on proper medical waste procedures within ten days of being hired. Depending on the position the employee was hired for, there are several different courses that should be taken including:

Bloodborne Pathogens

This course is designed for those employees who have a reasonable risk of exposure including handling sharps and sharps disposal, the proper labeling of waste containers, managing communication of hazards and more.

Department of Transportation (D.O.T) Hazardous Materials Transportation Regulations

Any team member who is involved in signing waste management manifests, as well as staff who are in charge of compliance are required to take this course. This course trains personnel on the correct permits, insurance, and licenses for waste disposal and transporting waste. Training is designed to help reduce the risk of liability of transport of medical waste as it is transported to off-site locations.

Waste Handling & Classification Regulations

Any team members who will be handling or disposing of medical waste must take this course to learn about medical waste preparation, packaging and labeling.

HIPAA Training

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was created to protect the privacy of patients and clientele. Anyone in your medical facility who has access to protected health information must take this course.

PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) Training

Staff members who are at risk for exposure to infectious diseases, including direct contact with patients, must be trained on the types and purpose of PPE, this includes how to use the various items, how to dress and how to safely remove PPE.

Pharmaceutical Waste Identification, Segregation and Disposal

Pharmacy employees who are tasked with managing manifests for hazardous waste must have complete training on RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), pharmaceutical classifications and the requirements for pharmaceutical waste packaging, labeling, disposal and manifesting. 

Hazardous Communication and Chemical Safety (HAZCOM)

This training is required for any staff that could be potentially exposed to harmful chemicals. This includes reviewing the Hazardous Communication Program and measures for protection.

Radiation Orientation

Facilities that use any form of radiation must ensure that all employees understand protection against radiation and the risks involved. This includes safety and regulation requirements for imaging standards for radioactive materials, ionizing radiation, and X-Ray equipment use.

The importance of compliance training cannot be overstated—it is not only crucial for protecting your facility against fines, but also to safeguard your staff against risks of infection and illness.

All Points Medical Waste is a family-owned and operated medical waste disposal company in Stuart, Florida. We provide disposal services and compliance employee training to facilities across the Treasure Coast as well as Broward and Palm Beach counties. Give us a call today or fill out this form to get more information on how we can serve you.