How to properly dispose of PPE in your business
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of companies that rely on the use of PPE every day. From hospitals and car garages, to food serves and factory workers, personal protective equipment is used to keep your workforce safe and to prevent damages to their body.
With such a large volume of PPE used daily by people requiring them in their everyday roles, does your business know and understand how to properly dispose of this in an environmentally-friendly way?
What you should not do
It’s important to know the major “no no’s” when it comes to disposing of your PPE. Remember that protective equipment of any kind is not recyclable and therefore should never be put into recycling waste. It should also not be dumped into a street side bin.
As a business it’s vital that you don’t dispose of your protective equipment in any random way. This is because that depending on the environment you’ve been in, whether that’s in a hospital or warehouse with hazardous waste, not disposing of it properly could bring you and others to harm.
Top ways to dispose of your PPE
We understand that after a long day of work, disposing of your PPE properly can seem like a chore, but it’s more important than you think. When you’ve finished at the end of the day, put your protective clothing and equipment into a bag and ensure it is fully tied up. This plastic waste bag should then be placed in a second bin bag and tied shut.
If the PPE waste has been exposed to an infection source or any hazardous substance, it should be disposed of accordingly. For example, if you’ve come into contact with an infection source, the bagged-up PPE should be stored in a safe and secure place for 72 hours or until any test results are known.
Many pieces of protective equipment such as earplugs, hardhats, most gloves and similar items can be thrown away in PPE disposal bins with ease. These still need to be destroyed or dismantled properly, so that someone doesn’t try to continue to use the equipment. As a business, it’s important to know that using outdated or damaged PPE can cause people serious harm and put them at risk of injury.
Whether you have existing health and safety and PPE disposal policies within your business or they need revising, these tips should help you get started and work safely.
