If you’re working in a funeral home, you know why disposing of biohazardous waste is important—it’s not just a crucial area of the business but is subject to a number of legal regulations as well. By properly managing and disposing of clinical and medical waste, you’ll be protecting your team members.
This is why identifying the different types of medical waste from funeral homes is important. Read on to find out what they are.
Pharmaceuticals
Many people die due to sickness or poor health. For instance, an individual suffering from cancer may have received chemotherapy before his death. This means some traces of chemotherapy agents will still be on his body, which can prove to be very harmful if not handled safely.
Sharps
Scissors, scalpels, trocars, needles, and other sharp medical instruments are exposed to bodily chemicals and fluids, which, if improperly handled, can put the employees at risk. Therefore, funeral homes must be equipped with appropriate, clearly visible sharps containers placed in strategic locations.
Blood
During embalming, the blood of a dead person is removed from their body through veins. This blood is replaced by embalming fluid, which is supplied through the arteries. This solution consists of harsh chemicals—humectants, methanol, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, and other solvents. Therefore, it’s important to properly handle and dispose of the blood and embalming waste produced by this procedure.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Funeral homes use a number of PPE like surgical masks, gowns, and medical gloves to safeguard themselves from the spread of infections and diseases when working with human bodies. Since these materials have been exposed to or contaminated with bio-hazardous chemicals or waste, they should be stored carefully, then removed, and transported from the funeral homes by a professional medical removal company.
Swabs, gauze, and medical tubing
These materials aren’t much different from sharps, and bodily fluids may contaminate them. Therefore, they must be handled in an appropriate, safe manner to safeguard the health of employees working in funeral homes.
In a nutshell
It’s important for the employees working in funeral homes to take extra precautions because they’re working with dead bodies that may have diseases and bacteria.
Since working on a dead body can expose a professional and their equipment to biohazardous materials, every funeral home must get rid of all objects that touch the dead body.
If you’re a funeral director, it’s your responsibility to dispose of biomedical waste that your facility produces correctly—this is a legal requirement.
Medical-Systems is your premier Denver medical waste removal provider
By law, funeral homes must work with a regulated medical waste disposal service in Denver to ensure every waste that the facility produces or discards is disposed of properly. Medical-Systems is a Denver waste disposal services provider with years of experience in the industry.
Contact us now to learn more about our infectious waste disposal services in Denver!
