In May, Curt sent this out to Histoland:
"Message: 2
Date: Wed, 11 May 2016 20:18:52 +0000
From: Curt <c.ta...@pathologyarts.com>
To: "histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu"
<histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Subject: [Histonet] embedding and microtomy "medical waste"
Message-ID:
<9C8F910F72893643B3C3793C3D67132B67CBAFD6@PATHOLOGYSERVER.pathologyarts.local>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
So here's a good one for you all... we had the county health department come
through the lab and ding us on medical waste... specifically the plastic
disposable lids at embedding, the lens paper used for wrapping specimens such
as ECC and EMB. Then they got us on the Kim Wipes used to clean the water bath
at microtomy... those papers have human tissue on them so they need to be
treated as medical waste... NOW we have to have red cans next to all microtomes
and embedding stations. The obvious issue outside of cost and logic is that
these medical waste cans all seem to have self closing lids which really
interferes with the rhythm and pace of work when one needs to reach over with a
food to open the lid after every block is embedded and when they water bath is
cleaned after every block...
Simple question(s): 1)does anyone else have to do such things to contain the
waste, 2) does anyone know of a source for medical waste cans that do not have
these frustrating self closing lids... if we could simple remove the lid and
replace it when done then we could deal with it, the cost is one thing but
slowing down work flow is a problem.
And just for a little more humor, they actually wanted me to contain and
dispose of the water runoff from our two automated slide stainers, we run about
2200 slides a night... that would be many gallons of waste water every night
and would not be within the budget.... We in turn ran a fish kill test which
demonstrated that the water runoff which contain little Hematoxylin, bluing and
clarifier do not pose any significant threat to the environment, not even in
California....
Bottom line to all this, I need some red trash cans with removable lids, if
they're still out there somewhere.... Anywhere.....
Thanks for your input,
Curt
Ps, I didn't proff read thie smail... if something is not spelt correctly,
don't hold it against me...."
I forwarded this to my supervisor, hoping to be proactive. She forwarded it to
the person who is in charge of safety at our facitlity. He would like to know
which states require the block and slide to be put in biohazard containers
before we invest in the containers. Histofolks, please help another Histonetter
out and let me know where you are and if you are required to put your shavings,
block and or slides in biohazard medical waste.
Thanks!
Cassandra Davis
Histology Technician
Anatomical Pathology Laboratory
Saint Francis Healthcare
701 N. Clayton Street
Wilmington,DE 19805
Office: 302-575-8095
Email: cda...@che-east.org<mailto:n...@che-east.org>
www.saintfrancishealthcare.org
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