Sharps containers hold medical waste, such as needles and scalpels, to safely dispose of them and prevent exposure to pathogens. They come in different sizes and can be single-use or reusable, and should be properly disposed of to reduce the risk of injury and infection.
A sharps container is a medical waste container designed to hold sharp objects, medical instruments with sharp edges such as needles and scalpels. Sharps containers are used to safely dispose of sharps and to ensure that sharps are separated from other types of medical waste. Hospitals and clinics typically have sharps containers in all patient treatment areas, and it is also possible to obtain sharps containers that can be used by people who use sharp medical tools at home, such as diabetics who have need to take regular insulin injections.
A typical sharps container is either red or yellow, depending on the country. It’s made of thick plastic that resists needles so the container is safe to handle, and it includes a label that states that the contents are biohazardous and that the container contains sharp objects. Sharps containers can be single-use, in which case the container is disposed of along with its contents, or reusable, emptied, sterilized, and shipped back. Reusable containers are usually emptied by robots at medical waste treatment plants.
Using a sharps container is very simple; sharp objects simply need to be dropped through the slot in the lid after use. Users should not force sharps through the lid of the container, as this can expose them to the risk of needlesticks, and should ensure that sharps containers are changed before they become too full. Most are designed with a flap on the lid that allows people to put items through the lid, but doesn’t allow items to go through to the other side.
Properly disposing of sharps is very important. Because sharp objects usually penetrate the skin, every sharp object contains material that could be potentially dangerous. Sharp objects cannot be reused because they are dull with use and because they could potentially transmit dangerous pathogens. The ability to properly store and dispose of sharps in a sharps container ensures fresh tools are used on every patient and reduces the risk of needlestick injuries and the transmission of pathogens.
Some people may try to get rid of sharps by breaking or blunting the tips and throwing them away, or plugging them and throwing them away. This practice is not recommended, because people handling regular trash could potentially be exposed to injury from improperly disposed sharps. In some regions, garbage companies can fine people or refuse to collect garbage from them if they find sharp objects in conventional garbage.
A variety of sharps container sizes are available, from very small containers that fit on an exam room counter to large barrels that can be used in operating theaters and other high-volume areas. They can be supplied with a medical waste disposal contract or ordered individually from medical supply companies.
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