In this post, we will discuss the following considerations for managing Category A waste in a healthcare facility:
- Storing Category A waste prior to inactivation or transport
- Moving Category A waste from patient care area to storage location or transport vehicle
Storing packaged Category A waste containers prior to inactivation or transport: Prior to on-site inactivation or transport to a vendor for inactivation, Category A waste must be stored in a secure and access restricted area. Any waste generated from a suspect patient (i.e., not yet confirmed to be infected with a Category A pathogen) needs to be treated as Category A waste until proven otherwise. Facilities should consider aspects such as:
Storage in puncture-proof, leak-proof, and tip-resistant containers. Avoid use of reusable containers.
- Secure waste containers to prevent them from tipping.
- Limited personnel access to storage space
- Biohazard signage, including information on the type of hazardous material.
- Storage time
- 24-hour, 48-hour, and 72-hour waste transport vendor pickup intervals.
- Temperature controls
- Capacity
- The waste holding area should adequately accommodate the volume of packaged waste that may develop between inactivation processing or waste transport vendor pickups.
- Emergency permits to plan for increased waste production or extended storage periods.
- Category A waste should be stored separately from other solid waste and on impermeable/non-porous surfaces (i.e., floors without carpet, cracks, or gaps).
- Protection against spillage, weather, putrescence, pest infestation, trespassers, and theft.
Moving Category A waste within a facility: Facilities should use a pre-identified route from areas where Category A waste is generated (i.e., patient treatment areas) to a secure storage location within the facility that serves as a waste holding area, and from the storage area to either the on-site inactivation equipment or to the location for off-site inactivation vendor pick-up.
- Use covered push carts, bins, or other leak-proof containers.
- Decontaminate the outside surfaces of all waste containers before moving them.
- Avoid high-traffic areas or divert other traffic while Category A waste is being moved.
- Use designated elevators if possible.
- Be aware of any potential spill during transport and notify appropriate personnel immediately to initiate clean-up
Alexandra McKenna Lewis is a 4th-year medical student at the University of Texas Medical Branch John Sealy School of Medicine.
Resources:
https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2022-06/Cat%20A%20Waste%20Planning%20Guidance_Final_2022_06.pdf
https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2020-04/Transporting-Infectious-Substances-Safely.pdf
https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/hazardous-materials-regulations