Whether it’s discarded syringes by the roadside, or those used in healthcare, our sharps removal service responsibly deals with biohazards.
Anybody who’s ever performed a health and safety risk assessment knows that there are a number of different elements to measuring and mitigating risk. But sometimes it’s the small items that can have a big impact on health and safety. Discarded syringes and sharps can be a severe biohazard risk alongside major roads, by railway lines or in empty properties. And even when they’ve been used for legitimate purposes in healthcare settings, it’s still vital to dispose of them safely and effectively. In this blog, we’re focusing on three areas where our sharps removal service comes into its own.
A sharps removal service that’s responsive and responsible
Understandably, getting rid of needles and other sharps is specialist work. We can deploy rapidly in the event that a property owner discovers used syringes or sharps on site. Our staff are fully insured, vaccinated against all blood-borne viruses, and use robust procedures to clear affected areas quickly and safely. Once collected, any sharps and syringes are disposed of safely in rigid waste containers. And we provide a certificate of disposal to give reassurance that we’ve done the job properly.
Indeed, the correct collection and disposal of biohazardous waste is essential to protecting the public and the environment from health and safety risks. This includes hazardous and biological material that may have come into contact with or been infected by microbiological and pathological waste.
We operate to industry-leading standards eg BS-EN-ISO 9001:2018 and ISO14001 for Environmental Management. And as an upper-tier licensed waste carrier, we follow the regulations to the letter.
1. Discarded syringes on the roadside and trackside
If public spaces become contaminated with used syringes, it’s vitally important to clear the area quickly to ensure the safety of members of the public. Across the UK’s huge network of roads, clearing up rubbish and waste from the roadside is the responsibility of private companies employed by the relevant government agency or local council which owns the road. And as for trackside waste disposal, it’s usually the responsibility of Network Rail, but train operators may also need to play their part in ensuring tracksides are kept clean. Roadside and
removal is a key part of our specialist cleaning services for transport networks. Our team can quickly respond to incidents on or near road or rail networks.
2. Void properties may contain used syringes or sharps
Whenever a property is unoccupied, there’s a risk that it will be used for illegal purposes. In commercial (and to a lesser extent, residential) void properties, there is the risk that drug users will break into the property and use it. Alternatively, residential landlords may find unpleasant truths about their former tenants’ activity at the end of a tenancy. As part of our void property clearance service, our trained teams can safely remove any discarded needles and sharps that they find. And they’ll make sure that any attendant biohazards are properly removed.
3. Sharps removal in healthcare settings
It’s not always casually discarded sharps that need disposal. Sometimes, syringes and other sharps have been used for entirely legitimate purposes, for instance in hospitals and other healthcare settings. And of course, this is much on everyone’s minds at the moment, with the Covid-19 mass vaccination programme creating a whole host of used syringes. As part of our clinical waste removal service, we’ll deal with all discarded sharps. We’ll make sure that healthcare providers are safely disposing of sharps in rigid waste containers. This avoids the risk of any needle-stick injuries or mixing sharps in with other offensive waste.
To find out more about REACT Specialist Cleaning and our sharps removal services in a range of different settings, contact one of the team today.
Telephone: 01283 550 503
Email: info@reactplc.co.uk
Website: www.reactsc.co.uk
Post by Shaun D. Doak
Shaun is the CEO of REACT Group plc., a business dedicated to specialist cleaning, hygiene and decontamination. He is deeply committed to making sure that every one of our company’s clients receives the highest possible level of service. An expert in HVAC and commercial and industrial cleaning methodologies, Shaun has extensive experience in the facilities management and renewable services sector.