Staff and Community Education

Medical waste, when not correctly disposed of, poses a risk of infections to health care staff, clients, and the community at large--but many do not know or understand these risks. Your waste-disposal plans may not be effective until you have educated your staff and community about potential dangers.

Educating staff

The staff who collect and dispose of waste at health care facilities are often unaware of the risks that medical and hazardous chemical waste pose. A large percentage of staff who collect and remove waste, both inside and outside of health care facilities, report having experienced work-related injuries. Those reporting high rates of medical waste-related injuries include nurses, midwives, nursing aides, and cleaning and maintenance staff.

Regular orientations and in-service training are important parts of staff education. In many locations, staff who perform waste-disposal tasks are low-literate/nonliterate. If this is the case in your facility, be sure to develop highly visual training materials to ensure that these staff clearly understand their risks and the proper disposal practices.

Educating the community

In many low-resource settings, scavenging of medical waste is a significant problem, made worse by the poor waste-disposal practices at many medical facilities. The World Health Organization has reported numerous cases around the world of the transmission of hepatitis B to people who have scavenged medical waste.

It is important for facilities to help educate the local community about the dangers of scavenging medical waste, particularly if scavenging of waste is a common practice. Signs, informational sessions at health fairs, and educational sessions at schools and community centers can be used to alert community members about their risks. Health facility administrators can help target the specific risks within their communities by working in collaboration with community leaders on educational initiatives.

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