Choosing the Right Biohazardous Waste Management Partner

As we step into a new year, it's an ideal time to assess your vendors and partners that play a vital role in keeping your facility operational. This includes evaluating your medical waste management and ensuring compliance. As a regulated medical waste generator, you hold responsibility for the safe and compliant transport and disposal of your medical waste, even after it leaves your facility. Therefore, it’s crucial to evaluate and understand your options when choosing a medical waste management partner. To feel confident in your choice of a medical waste pickup company, you want to be assured that they adhere to all local, state, and federal regulations that ensure your compliance but also provide the services you expect showing up on time and on schedule. You shouldn't have to worry about whether your medical waste disposal company is going to show up for service or a lack of communication causing you stress. This article will guide you through some essential factors to consider when choosing the right biohazardous waste management partner.

Medical Waste Disposal Method

It is important to understand how your infectious waste would be processed or treated when evaluating a medical waste management company. Proper treatment of the waste is crucial for sterilization, ensuring safety for any further disposal, and minimizing environmental pollutants or risks to individuals. Safe disposal methods may include incineration, steam sterilization/autoclave, and other disinfection processes. Some waste may require special handling, so ensure you know the specific method used for sterilizing and disposing of infectious waste. In certain states, such as Maryland, special operating permits are necessary for treating medical waste. Ask the medical waste management company how they are treating the medical waste and if its being done at their own treatment facility.

Proper Training

Anyone involved in handling potentially infectious waste must comply with OSHA regulations and undergo routine training, including the biohazardous waste management company picking up your waste. This typically includes training on Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communications. Depending on their roles, additional training may be necessary. Continuous training is vital for workplace safety and reducing the risk of injuries. In the event of an accident, well-trained medical waste management staff will be equipped to take the correct steps to limit exposure and manage potentially hazardous waste safely.

DoT Approved Containers & Supply

While the biohazardous waste collection containers being Department of Transportation (DoT) approved may not always be top of mind when selecting a medical waste pickup company, it is an important aspect for safety and compliance in handling and transporting medical waste. You wouldn’t want your waste mishandled in transport after it leaves your facility. Many of these regulations are established by OSHA to ensure workplace safety. Although regulations may vary by state, there are specific guidelines regarding how medical waste can be transported, including the requirement for containers to be DoT approved.

Medical Waste Transport

States such as Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware have compliance guidelines for transporting medical waste. Not just anyone can transport medical waste in any vehicle; the vehicles used for transporting waste must meet DoT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requirements, and in some states, special permits are also required. Along with the special permit, the waste transporter must utilize properly marked and dedicated vehicles. You can ask the medical waste management company for a copy of their special permit.

Proper Documentation

As a waste generator, it is essential to demonstrate through documentation the proper transport and disposal of your medical waste at any moment, particularly during an OSHA audit or inspection. Reliable medical waste management companies will always maintain accessible documentation. This documentation, such as manifests, should detail how the waste was transported, the transporter's permits, the processing facility, and the disposal date. Ensure your medical waste management partner offers a way for you to access compliance documentation at any time, such as through a Client Portal.

Excellent Communication

What are the vendor’s methods of communication? Can you reach them by phone, email, or online and are they responsive? You can normally answer most of these questions after the first one or two interactions with the potential waste management partner. Unfortunately, sometimes issues do arise, so you want a company that will remain responsive, whether its by phone, email or a form of online communication, like a Client Portal.

Reliable Medical Waste Management Near Me

At Biomedical Waste Services, Inc. (BWS), we bring 50 years of reliable collection, transport, and disposal of regulated medical waste throughout Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia for over 10,000 clients of all sizes. Contact us today to partner with a reliable and trusted medical waste management company you can count on.

Share this article:

Facebook

Twitter

LinkediIn

Email