Hospital housekeepers: Victims of ineffective hospital waste management

Abstract

Improper waste management exposes hospital housekeepers to biological risk. The objectives of this study were to identify the frequency and profile of exposure incidents, classify the role of sharps waste, and compare the first and last occurrences for hospital housekeepers with multiple exposure incidents. A retrospective epidemiological study using Brazilian records from 1989 to 2012 was conducted. Data analyzed included hospital treatment records and the state notification database. Probabilistic linkage was performed using LinkPlus and data analysis using SPSS. There were 996 (11.6%) injuries, with 57 (6.1%) workers reporting multiple occurrences, for a total of 938 workers. These were primarily needlestick injuries (98.5%), involving blood (85.6%), caused by hypodermic needles (75.1%), and improper sharps disposal (70.8%). The number of workers completing vaccination after their first injury and before their last injury was statistically significant. Additional efforts to prevent and manage exposure incidents are needed.

Medical waste disposal at a hospital in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa: Implications for training of healthcare professionals

“…waste is a hazard to healthcare workers, patients, visitors and the environment. [1,2,8,9] The results of this study are similar to the results of studies conducted in other countries and reveal a lack of adequate knowledge and awareness of medical waste disposal among HCPs. [11] The results further show that a small proportion of HCPs were not sure of the adequacy of their knowledge of waste disposal techniques despite having been taught the correct techniques as part of their professional education and training, but continued to generate and dispose of medical waste in their day-to-day activities.…”

“…Studies indicate that ward cleaners are injured by needles that HCPs have disposed of incorrectly. [2,9,10]…”

Gerenciamento quantitativo de resíduos hospitalares

“…Além de diminuir o seu período de risco, reduz a probabilidade de ocasionar doenças aos trabalhadores em contato direto ou indireto, conforme já mencionado (BRASIL, 2004). Ream et al (2016) realizaram estudo epidemiológico retrospectivo utilizando registros brasileiros de tratamento hospitalar e dados de notificação, de 1989 a 2012. No referido período foram registradas 996 lesões a funcionários de estabelecimentos de serviços de saúde, com 6,1% dos trabalhadores reportando ocorrências múltiplas.…”

Acidentes de trabalho entre profissionais da limpeza hospitalar em uma capital do Nordeste, Brasil

“…Among them, healthcare institution cleaning and maintenance workers (HICMW) handle potentially infectious agents and, in a hospital environment, this can result in workplace accidents [4][5] .…”