3-03-070 Bio-Hazardous Waste Procedures

PURPOSE OF ORDER:

The purpose of this order is Tto establish guidelines for disposal of biohazardous waste for Pitchess Detention Center (PDC) South Facility.

SCOPE OF ORDER: 

This procedure applies to all personnel assigned to and working at PDC South Facility (sworn, civilian and medical) who are involved with the handling of biohazardous waste.

ORDER:

The following procedure shall be strictly adhered to at all times observed while on PDC South Facility property.

RESPONSIBILITY:

PDC South Facility Ranch Operations Custody Assistant will transport each facility’s medial services biohazardous waste collection container to the PDC hazardous waste accumulation storage site.

Medical Services Bureau (MSB) Correctional Health Services (CHS) personnel at PDC South Facility, shall ensure that on Tuesday of each week the biohazardous waste collection container is at the designated collections point at the specified time.

MSB CHS management will be responsible for maintaining a suitable contract with a state approved and licensed contractor for transporting and disposing of the

biohazardous waste from PDC. Additionally, MSB CHS is responsible for providing equipment and supplies, as well as employee training, to perform this assignment safely.

All biohazardous waste collected from biohazardous waste receptacles shall be tightly sealed in a leak proof biohazardous plastic bag and discarded in the biohazardous waste collection container. Any plastic waste bag found to be damaged or leaking, upon removal from the waste receptacle, shall be tightly sealed by the MSB CHS Staff.

The damaged bag shall then be placed into another leak proof biohazardous waste bag prior to placing it into the facility's biohazardous waste collection container (refer to cleaning).

The Sharps needle container shall not be placed in the same biohazardous plastic bag with the discarded biohazardous waste, ; however, the sharps containers shall be placed in the biohazardous waste collection container for transportation to disposal site.

"Sharps Container" means a rigid puncture-resistant container that, when sealed, is leak resistant and cannot be reopened without great difficulty per California Health and Safety Code section 117747.

FACILITY PICK UP:

The biohazardous waste collection container will be transported to the PDC biohazardous waste accumulation site on Tuesday of each week, between 0900 hours and 1400 hours.

TRANSPORTING:

MSB CHS biohazardous waste collection container(s) will be transported to the waste accumulation site in a Sheriff's black and white pick-up truck. The bed of this vehicle will be suitably equipped to secure the biohazardous waste collection container(s) placed within it. Vehicles other than an appropriately equipped County vehicle shall not be used.

The biohazardous waste collection containers that can be transported in the vehicle are limited to the amount of space. The specified vehicle used shall carry these containers "undeformed and secured in an upright position." An additional transportation run will be made for containers which cannot fit into the initial load.

The biohazardous waste collection containers shall be immediately taken to the PDC biohazardous waste accumulation site after they have been loaded from the various staging areas.

The driver will drive directly to the [REDACTED TEXT] obtain the key for the Waste Accumulation Site, lock and dump each of the biohazardous waste collection containers into the accumulation receptacle. It is unnecessary to touch or lift out the individual red bags to remove them from each collection container. The empty biohazardous waste containers will then be returned to [REDACTED TEXT]

Disposable Gloves - Disposable medical gloves will be provided and utilized by all employees when handling biohazardous waste. The gloves provide protection against direct skin contact with the biohazardous materials. The gloves may be discarded as normal refuse unless soiled by biohazardous waste material. The gloves shall not be washed and reused.

Disposable Aprons - Disposable aprons are intended to keep outer garments from contamination. Since the exterior surface of the biohazardous Waste Collection Containers are not contaminated with biohazardous waste materials, it is unlikely that an employee handling them would have his or her outer garments contaminated with biohazardous materials. The aprons will be made available to those who desire to utilize them. The aprons shall be discarded as normal refuse after use, unless it has come into direct contact with biohazardous waste materials.

If the personal protective equipment (gloves/aprons) should come in contact with touch the biohazardous waste materials and become contaminated, these items shall be handled in accordance with the packaging guidelines as set forth in the previous paragraph(s).

Should any of the handling and/or transporting equipment become contaminated, cleaning shall be accomplished in accordance with the cleaning section of this policy and procedure.

WASTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT:

MSB CHS Biohazardous Waste Collection Container - An industrial strength container constructed of a hard thermoplastic (polyethylene or equivalent material). The container will be red in color, durable, dent resistant, equipped with reinforced grip handles, a tight seal lid, and seamless in design. The container and lid must be suitably marked with the words "BIOHAZARD," and the international biohazard symbol shall be affixed and visible from any lateral direction. Additionally, the container and lid must be able to withstand steam cleaning and other sanitizing procedures. The size of this container shall be limited to a maximum size of 35 gallons.

PDC Biohazardous Waste Accumulation Site - The Waste Accumulation Site is secured and delineated area, located west of the [REDACTED TEXT] on the south side of the road. At the site is the receptacle for collecting the contents of the biohazardous waste collection container. The [REDACTED TEXT] controls the access to the enclosure.

Biohazardous Plastic Waste Bags - The plastic bags (or liners) shall be the appropriate size and shape for use in the designated containers. The bag will be red in color, labeled with the international ‘Bio-Hazard’ symbol and have warnings in English and Spanish. The bags will meet the American Society for testing & materials (ASTM) 165-gram dart test and Elmedorf tear test.

Medical Clinic Biohazardous Receptacles - Rigid containers with tight fitting lids are lined with a plastic biohazardous waste bag. The receptacle is to be clearly marked with the international "BIOHAZARDOUS " waste symbol so as to be visible from any lateral direction.

Transportation Vehicle - A County vehicle used to transport biohazardous waste containers. A Sheriff's black and white pick-up truck which is equipped to secure the biohazardous waste collection containers upright within it's cargo area.

PERSONNEL TRAINING:

Employees performing this procedure will be provided with training. The training will include:

1. Overview of the program and work practice controls.