Belfast City Hospital, Belfast - 12 December 2011 - Regulation and ...

8.2 Sharps
Staff are commended for achieving compliance. The inspection
evidenced that in both wards inspected, effort had been made to
ensure safe handling, segregation, storage and disposal of sharps.
Sharps boxes in use conformed to BS7320 (1990)/UN9291 standard
and were assembled correctly. However in Ward 6 North sharps boxes
found in the large euro bins were not signed with the date of assembly,
locality and staff signature.
Recurring issues in Ward 6 North were, one temporary closure
mechanism, to prevent spillage and impede access, was not in place
when the sharps box was not in use and in Ward 10 North the sharps
box on the resuscitation trolley although secure was open and had
contents insitu.
In Ward 6 North the underneath of sharps trays in use again required
more detailed cleaning and on this inspection a paper mache receiver
was observed inside a sharps tray. In Ward 10 North new issues
identified during this inspection related to an unsecure 22 litre sharps
box on the central island in the clinical room and the lid of one sharps
box splashed with blood.
Recommendations
7. Waste bins and equipment used in the management of waste
should be available, clean and replaced as appropriate
(Repeated).
8. 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 (Repeated).
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