Causeway Hospital - 14 June 2012 - Regulation and Quality ...

protruding from the open aperture (Picture 3). In Medical 2 the sharps
box on the resuscitation trolley was not empty or secured safely to the
trolley and a paper label was taped to the box advising staff not to
remove the box from the trolley, this label impedes staff from
accurately filling out the label on the box.
Picture 3: Syringes protruding from a sharps box
In Medical 2 clean utility room a 22 litre sharps box was bracketed to
the wall. When full the box is heavy and difficult to remove from the
bracket, this has potential health and safety implications and should be
reviewed.
In both wards integral sharps trays, used to store a sharps box and
equipment when carrying out a procedure were available however staff
were also using paper mache receivers or disposable foil trays, not
recommended as part of the aseptic non touch technique procedure
(ANTT). In Elective Surgery a sharps tray was blood stained.
Recommendations
9. The trust should monitor the implementation of its policies
and procedures in respect of the management of waste and
sharps to ensure that safe and appropriate practice is in
place.
10. The trust should ensure that waste bins and equipment used
in the management of waste and sharps are clean and that
waste bins are available and fit for purpose.
11. The trust and individual staff have a collective responsibility
to ensure that staff knowledge is kept up to date regarding
the safe and the correct handling and disposal of waste and
sharps.
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