Signs, Labels, and Color Coding
Warning labels
need to be affixed to containers of regulated waste, refrigerators and freezers
containing blood or other potentially infectious material, and other containers
used to store, transport or ship blood or other potentially infectious materials.
These labels are fluorescent orange, red, or orange-red, and they are available
from your supervisor. Bags used to dispose of regulated waste must be red or orange
red, and they, too, must have the biohazard symbol readily visible upon them.
Regulated waste should be double-bagged to guard against the possibility of leakage
if the first bag is punctured.
Regulated waste
refers to
- Any liquid or
semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious materials
- Contaminated
items that would release blood or other potentially infectious materials in a
liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed
- Items that are
caked with dried blood or other potentially infectious materials and are capable
of releasing these materials during handling
- Contaminated sharps
- Pathological
and microbiological wastes containing blood or other potentially infectious materials
All regulated waste
must be disposed in properly labeled containers or red biohazard bags. These
must be disposed at an approved facility. Most departments or facilities which
generate regulated waste will have some sort of contract with an outside disposal
company that will come pick up their waste and take it to an approved incineration/disposal
facility.
Custodians and
housekeepers will not remove bags containing any form of blood (human or animal),
vials containing blood, bloody towels, rags, biohazardous waste, etc. from laboratories
unless the bag has one of these labels on it. They have been given very strict
instructions not to handle any non-regulated waste unless it has been properly
marked and labeled (including signature). Custodians will
not handle regulated waste.
