Management of Waste Policy & Procedure

Health & Safety > Management of Waste Policy & Procedure

Authorised by Chief Executive Officer

Issue Date: 13 July 2023

Policy Statement

Kyeema Support Services is committed to the health and safety of its workers and participants. To ensure compliance with waste management legislation, this policy covers correct storage and waste disposal in a way that protects Kyeema support workers and participants.

This procedure supports Kyeema to apply the National Standards for Disability Services, in particular Standard 4: Provision of Supports Environment Standard 4.5 Management of Waste.

Scope

This policy was created to ensure the health and safety of all Kyeema workers and participants and protect them from exposure to waste, infectious, or hazardous material.

Related legislation and policy

The National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013

NDIS (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018

NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators Nov 2021

Definitions

General waste: General waste is anything that a person or organisation produces which is not a public health risk.

For example:

• Food scraps

• Recyclables

• Bags, wrappers, and tissues

Pharmaceutical waste: Pharmaceutical waste refers to any medicine, drugs, or remedies that are expired or unused. It can also be any waste released during the production of medication.

Examples include:

• Partly emptied bottles or glass vials

• Prescription drugs (hard capsule or tablet medication)

• Broken ampoules

Clinical waste: Clinical waste is any waste that can potentially cause harm or infection.

It includes things like:

• Discarded sharps (needles)

• Human waste, such as tissue, bodily fluids, blood

Sensitive waste: Printed material, computers, storage devices, mobile phones

Procedure

Waste must be properly managed, so it does not pose a risk to any workers, participants, or other individuals.

Labelling of waste

Appropriately labelled containers are used where needed. The participants use webster packs for medication where needed.

Waste handling, storage & disposal:

General waste: All workers should be able to handle general waste and dispose of it properly wearing gloves.

General waste is to be stored in appropriate storage facilities, e.g. bins stored outside, garbage rooms, garbage chutes, etc. It's up to everyone to ensure general waste is removed promptly and properly.

Pharmaceutical waste: needs to be disposed of appropriately.

• Left over medications or medications that are out of date are returned to the pharmacy for disposal

Clinical waste: If handling any clinical waste, workers wear PPE, including double gloves and then double bag the waste before disposal in the bin.

• Spill kits are at all sites and stored in the disability accessible toilet at Head Office and the locked storeroom at Ameeyk House. These kits are used for blood and bodily fluid spills

• Covid response kit – if there is a positive case, yellow bags are to be used for infected waste eg. tissues (kept in locked cupboard)

Portland does not have the infrastructure to handle all waste, which means that segregation of waste for removal by contractors is not available.

Sensitive waste: needs to be disposed of appropriately eg. shredding (for printed material), erase all information (for all electronic devices), council eRecycling (for all electronic devices)

Infection control

Workers to follow appropriate hand hygiene procedures, wear PPE when handling any waste, clean and wipe down all surfaces with an appropriate disinfectant.

Workers to follow PPE procedures for controlling infection when handling healthcare waste.

Emergency plan If an issue or accident relating to clinical waste, infectious material, or hazardous substances, all workers must implement and follow the emergency plan.

During an emergency where a chemical spill has occurred or a person has been exposed to a biohazard, all support workers will:

• Immediately notify their Supervisor

• Immediately contact any relevant local emergency services, such as the Fire Department, Poisons Information Centre

• Alert everyone in the vicinity of the incident

• Evacuate any participants nearby and take them to a safe location

• Ensure everyone is accounted for and follow health and safety directives

• Record the incident if possible

• Maintain work health and safety

The manager/CEO, following the incident, will:

• Record the incident

• Call emergency services if an employee has not done so

• Notify the regulatory authorities if necessary

• Organise any counselling or medical treatment

• Investigate and review the incident

• Take any precautionary or reactionary measures, e.g. train workers in the relevant procedures

Emergency procedures

All workers must:

• Identify an incident and report it as soon as possible, including chemical spills,

infectious or hazardous materials, and cross-contamination

• Contact all relevant persons/authorities including supervisors and emergency

services

• Administer first aid if trained to do so and be familiar with the location of

emergency kits and other supplies

• Follow evacuation procedures if it is necessary

Evacuation procedures

All workers must:

• Be familiar with the floor plan of all work premises and take note of emergency

exits and assembly areas

• Know where to locate emergency exits and safety equipment

• Have training in how to use emergency equipment including fire extinguishers

• Wear appropriate PPE if necessary during an incident

• Alert everyone about the incident as soon as possible

• Safely accompany participants to assembly areas and record all in attendance to

ensure everyone is safe and accounted for

• Maintain their own health and safety

After the emergency

The supervisor or WHS officer will create an Incident Report if the employee has not filled

out an Incident Report form.

The incident will then be reviewed and investigated and escalated if deemed necessary.

Employees may be sent for further training if the incident demonstrates a lack of

preparedness.

Responsibilities

Workers must follow procedures, health and safety guidelines and report incidents.

Workers are responsible for completing training on waste management

Workers are responsible for disposing of waste according to guidelines

Workers must report any used items from spill kits to managers so they can be replaced

Managers to ensure workers are supplied with PPE

Reporting and response

All incidents are to be reported to the supervisor and complete an incident report form. Refer to the Incident Reporting Procedure. In the event of an incident or where necessary, workers must use appropriate PPE.

Review and evaluation

Feedback and complaints to be followed by a review and update of the procedure if needed.

Update procedure to keep current with legislation.

Training

Annual Refresher Training includes PPE, incident reporting, emergency plan

Sentrient etrainu courses:

• SW - Infection Control

• Hand hygiene

• PPE

• Waste Management

Record keeping

Records are kept in locked filing cabinets (hardcopies) and online in participant/staff files.

Medication charts – medication locked cupboard

Training records on Sentrient and hard copy certificates in locked files

Related policy and procedures / documents

Pandemic & Epidemic Contingency Procedure

Procedure for managing exposure to blood or body fluids

Cleaning blood spills and other bodily fluids spills Procedure

Incident Reporting Policy & Procedure

Environmental Management Policy & Procedure

Infection Control Procedure

Emergency Response Plan SF-62