Hazardous Material Storage Area Inspection Form: Fill & Download for Free

From: Hydrogen peroxide - Wikipedia“. . . Commercial grades from 70% to 98% are also available, but due to the potential of solutions of more than 68% hydrogen peroxide to be converted entirely to steam and oxygen (with the temperature of the steam increasing as the concentration increases above 68%) these grades are potentially far more hazardous and require special care in dedicated storage areas. Buyers must typically allow inspection by commercial manufacturers . . .. . . Hydrogen peroxide, either in pure or diluted form, can pose several risks, the main one being that it forms explosive mixtures upon contact with organic compounds.Highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide itself is unstable and can cause a boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion (BLEVE) of the remaining liquid.”So, you can buy it if you are a qualified buyer, typically a company or research institute, who can certify that they have the necessary knowledge and the facilities to safely store and handle this material.

Keep storage areas cool and dry. Store flammable and combustible liquids away from incompatible materials (e.g., oxidizers). Use approved containers for disposal of rags and other work. Store, handle, and use flammable and combustible liquids in well-ventilated areas.Storage: combustible materials should ideally be stored outside buildings under construction, especially volatile materials eg LPG.Choosing the Proper Location for Cleaning ChemicalsStore in a clean, cool, dry space. ...Store in well-ventilated areas, away from HVAC intake vents. ...Store no higher than eye level, and never on the top shelf of a storage area.Do not overcrowd shelves and include anti-roll lips to avoid falling containers.General Storage Requirements• Always review a chemical’s MSDS/SDS for proper storage procedures.• Do not store glass chemical containers on the floor (without secondary containment) or window ledges.• Chemical storage areas should be well lit, appropriately ventilated, and kept away from aisles, exits, and heat.• Minimize storage on the lab bench, in fume hoods, and other work areas.• Use first-in, first-out system (oldest chemicals first); to avoid degradation of older chemicals and their containers.•Inspect stored chemicals often for expiration, deterioration, and chemical integrity.Storage Shelves/Cabinets• Ensure chemical storage shelves are securely fastened to the wall and have lips or other suitable methods to prevent bottles from falling in the event of an earthquake.• Avoid storing all chemicals above shoulder height. Large containers (1 gal or larger), liquids, and corrosive materials should be stored no higher than eye level.• Do not overcrowd shelves.• Flammables (in excess of 10 gals) must be stored in a flammable storage cabinet.• Label chemical storage cabinets according to the type of chemical family or hazard classification found there (Acid Storage, Solvent Storage, etc.).Storage in Refrigerators and Freezers• Never store chemicals in office, domestic, or personal refrigerators; food and chemicals should never be stored together.• When storing flammables in a refrigerator, use an approved explosion-proof or flammable storage refrigerator only.• Label all refrigerator/freezers as to intended use.• Frequently inventory materials stored in refrigerator/freezers and defrost occasionally to prevent chemicals from becoming trapped in ice formations.Secondary Containment• Use secondary containment, such as polyethylene or stainless steel trays, to separate incompatible chemicals stored in the same area and to provide spill containment.• Provide secondary containers for storage of solvents and concentrated acids and bases.• Use secondary containers during storage of all hazardous chemicals on the floor.Storage of Hazardous Waste• Minimize storage of hazardous waste.• Store hazardous waste using the same guidelines as you would for storing chemical containers; use secondary containment, ensure the container is closed when not in use, and ensure proper labeling of the waste.• If you no longer need a chemical, rather than keeping it stored, dispose of it properly (e.g. as hazardous waste) or follow the chemical reuse guidelines.• Maximum storage times: - When storing untreated chemicals that degrade to unstable forms (e.g. peroxide formers such as ethyl ether), limit maximum storage time to one year from purchase or six months from first use. Note date received/date opened on such materials. - For other hazardous chemicals, use the manufacturer’s recommended storage time (if there is one) or other indications of degradation (e.g. discoloring of liquids).• Expired chemicals should not be stored or used in laboratories and should be relinquished to EH&S for disposal.Segregating Hazardous ChemicalsStore chemicals by hazard classification; avoid storing chemicals alphabetically unless they are compatible or already separated into appropriate hazard classes - this ensures that incompatible chemicals are segregated.Accidental contact between incompatible chemicals can result in a fire, an explosion, the formation of highly toxic and/or flammable substances, or other potentially harmful reactions. If incompatible chemicals must be stored in the same cabinet, be sure to provide physical segregation (secondary containment).Note: Certain chemicals require special segregation precautions to be taken. Concentrated nitric and perchloric acids should be stored in their own secondary containment within a corrosive storage cabinet due to oxidizing characteristics. Amines are often flammable in addition to being corrosive and should be stored in their own secondary containment within a chemical storage cabinet.

Hii Shweta ,Medical waste refers to clinical waste materials that are produced from healthcare facilities, such as hospitals, doctor's offices, pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, nursing homes, and research laboratories. These materials may include used syringes, soiled dressings, chemicals used to treat illness, equipment and facility chemical cleansers, and radioactive materials. Disposal of this waste is an environmental concern.In high-income countries, such as the United States, each person generates about 13 pounds (6 kilograms) of medical waste per year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). People in lower-income countries, such as Cambodia, generate between 1 pound (0.5 kilograms) and 6.5 pounds (3 kilograms) of medical waste per person each year.The WHO suggests that 75-90% of medical waste from healthcare facilities may not be hazardous to humans, animals, or the environment. These waste items include used papers, soda cans, plastic containers, and other office-related disposable items. However, the remaining 10-25% of medical facility waste may be infectious or biohazardous, potentially exposing healthcare workers, patients, and community members to injury, infectious diseases, and toxins.Examples of harmful side effects related to medical waste may include acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), hepatitis A, drug abuse, and cancer. Toxins, such as mercury, may be spread through skin contact or inhalation. Also, Escherichia coli bacteria may be spread through eating contaminated foods. Furthermore, infectious diseases may be transmitted through contaminated syringes or potentially cause injury.Medical waste may pollute the air and water. Pollution refers to substances in the natural environment as a result of human activity that might harm humans, animals, or the environment.The WHO suggests that nearly 25% of preventable illnesses are environmentally related. For example, unclean water can transmit bacteria that may cause diseases, such as cholera. It has been suggested that waste from healthcare activities may contribute to environmentally related illnesses. For instance, exhaust from hospital incinerators may cause illness among people living near the incinerator. Exhaust from incinerators has been associated with cancer and developmental problems in children. By minimizing the harmful chemicals in the exhaust, illness may be prevented.One of the first tenets of the Hippocratic Oath (an ethics code for medical doctors) states that harm should not be done onto a patient. However, healthcare workers, community members, and politicians may also have an ethical concern to safely manage medical waste and protect the public's health. Although not bound by the same ethical code as doctors, they may be responsible for waste production and have the power to make changes that will ensure the safety of others.In the late 1980s, needles and other medical waste items were found washed up on beaches in the United States. In response, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Medical Waste Tracking Act (MWTA). This act regulated waste management, established disposal guidelines, and implemented an inspection system to enforce hospital compliance. According to an article in the New York Times, one in five inspected healthcare facilities failed during the its two-year induction. However, the MWTA was under-funded and had few resources to enforce compliance. During that time, hospitals may not have registered for state inspections or handle medical waste appropriately. The EPA began to focus more on minimizing medical waste production and occupational risks.The healthcare industry is expanding, and environmentalists suggest there may be an increase of medical waste as a result. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis' (BEA), the healthcare industry currently represents about 8.1% of the gross domestic product versus six percent in 1987. Ongoing efforts to address medical waste management issues and minimize its environmental impact are shared by community members, as well as local, state, national, and international governing agencies.TECHNIQUEGeneral: Medical waste is often incinerated. However, medical waste can be deposited in landfills, discharged in sewer water, sterilized with an autoclave as it is produced and discarded with non-hazardous waste, or recycled. Hazardous materials, such as chemicals or radioactive items, may require specialized disposal methods.Types of waste: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 75-90% of waste generated by healthcare activities may not be hazardous to humans, animals, or the environment. These items include paper, plastic containers, soda cans, or other office-related disposable goods. However, infectious or biohazardous waste accounts for an estimated 10-25% of all medical waste. Of this total, infectious waste accounts for 15%, whereas cleaning agents and pharmaceuticals comprise three percent. Sharps and genotoxic wastes, including radioactive and heavy metals each account for one percent.Hazardous waste: Medical waste travels a long way from its use to its final disposal. For example, if a patient requires a suture to close a wound, bloody cotton swabs are usually produced as waste. The patient might have a disease, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) that could be transmitted through contact with blood. Therefore, the soiled cotton swab is considered potentially hazardous, and special waste management procedures are necessary. Healthcare personnel working with the patient may deposit the cotton swab in a specially designed container for hazardous waste.Disposal: A trained worker empties the container when it is almost full and transports it to a holding station in the hospital. This holding station is inaccessible to non-hospital staff, and no waste is exposed to the air. Within 48 hours, the waste is moved to a vehicle and transported to an incinerator, where it is burned. An incinerator is a furnace that combusts some medical wastes at extremely high temperatures as a means of disposal, leaving only ash as a byproduct. Only healthcare personnel working with the patient directly handles the soiled cotton swab.Sharps: Unused pharmaceuticals and sharps, such as needles and syringes, may be either incinerated or placed in landfills. People with diabetes, who often use sharps to self-administer medication, should place used sharps in a thick plastic or metal container that has a lid. The container should leak-proof, and be thick enough so that no sharp objects can puncture it, and no heavy objects can break it. The container should be marked with a symbol or be red colored to indicate it contains hazardous material. Once full, the patient should throw the container away in accordance with local regulations.There are fewer guidelines for consumers to dispose of pharmaceuticals. Consumers may flush unused drugs down the toilet, excrete them in urine, pour them down the drain, or throw them away in the trash.Genotoxins: Disposal of genotoxic substances depends on what they are and where they are produced. Genotoxins are substances that are mutagenic (alter genetic information), teratogenic (interfere with fetus development), or carcinogenic (causes cancer). Genotoxins may be used to treat cancer.Mercury: Mercury is a genotoxic substance and metallic element used in thermometers, dental amalgam fillings, florescent lamps, and sphygmomanometers (used to measure blood pressure). Mercury is a byproduct of incineration and cremation. In 1998, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) aimed to eliminate mercury waste from hospitals by 2005. Many of the tools that contain mercury have been replaced by other technologies that do not use the metal. If equipment contains mercury, it is usually reclaimed and recycled rather than wasted.Disposal of mercury: Technology exists that chemically changes mercury to a less hazardous form, but this practice is legal in Canada and not the United States This chemical process converts elemental mercury into mercury sulfide. It is then blended with certain polymers and formed into a pellet. Many local districts have private or municipal recycling and hazardous waste centers that handle mercury waste. An example of a company that both recycles and chemically changes mercury waste is Bethlehem Apparatus Co., Inc., in Hellertown, Pennsylvania.Radioactive waste: Another example of genotoxic waste is radioactive waste. Radiation describes one particle or body emitting energy, which travels through space and is absorbed by another body. Ionizing radiation displaces the electrons in atoms and may cause damage to cells. Radioactive waste is usually separated (liquids from solids) and labeled as radioactive. Then, within the facility that generated the waste, it is stored in an area designated for radioactive waste.Disposal of radioactive waste: Which waste is stored and how long it is stored for depends on the type of waste as well as facility and state regulations. Once the radioactive substance decays, it is no longer hazardous. Radioactive decay is the process by which an unstable nucleus emits particles (such as electrons) until the parent atom becomes stable. Some radioactive waste takes many years to decay, and some healthcare facilities are not licensed to store radioactive waste. In either case, the waste is usually transported to a licensed commercial facility for disposal.Waste disposal: The Air Pollution Control Association suggests that incineration reduces medical waste by 90%. However, incineration may produce emissions that are hazardous to human health, so new alternatives are being developed and implemented. Also, depending on what is incinerated, the ash byproduct may be hazardous as well. Depending on local laws, ash is usually disposed in hazardous waste landfills. Infectious wastes, such as soiled dressings, syringes, and latex gloves, are often disposed in an incinerator or incinerator-alternative.Alternatives to incineration: One example of an alternative to incineration is thermal treatment, such as microwave technologies. During microwave-based sterilization, water is added to medical waste and exposed to microwave radiation, heating to about (210 degrees Fahrenheit (99 degrees Celsius). Another example of an incinerator alternative is an autoclave. This equipment can heat medical waste to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 degrees Celsius), a temperature lower than an incinerator, which burns above (1,472 degrees Fahrenheit) (800 degrees Celsius). The remaining material in the autoclave is non-infectious and is shredded and then transported to a landfill. Because the autoclave does not completely burn all materials, it might produce less pollution than an incinerator.Developing countries: Incinerators are still used in the United States, but some healthcare initiatives in developing countries rely on them exclusively. Organizations, such as Doctors Without Borders, are immunizing people in developing countries against disease. However, these countries may lack the infrastructure for handling the large amount of medical waste that occurs alongside these immunization campaigns.Mass immunizations: For example, the WHO reports that a 2001 mass measles immunization campaign in West Africa generated 300 metric tonnes of injection waste from 17 million vaccinations. Often humanitarian organizations build incinerators for the immunization campaign. This incinerator is left behind after the campaign and is used for other purposes. This places local populations at risk for the negative health consequences of incinerator use. Replacing the incinerator with an alternative disposal method may help to avoid health risks.Waste management: The goals of healthcare waste management are to minimize the production of hazardous medical wastes and prevent these wastes from harming healthcare workers, patients, the community, and environment. The WHO outlines five ways these goals may be accomplished: supervision and management, public policy, technology, cost, and awareness.Supervision and management: Waste reduction and safe disposal starts when healthcare leaders, politicians, and concerned citizens carefully supervise and manage healthcare facilities. Healthcare leaders must establish clear institutional and individual responsibilities for waste from the time it is generated until it is disposed. Medical waste should be minimized. Then, from its generation it should be handled, stored, transported, and finally disposed according to guidelines that prioritize safety.Small versus large facilities: Healthcare facilities are responsible for managing their own waste; however, many large and small facilities hire other companies to manage their waste for them. In fact, three or more companies might manage waste for one facility. For example, one company may collect and transport waste within the facility, while another transports it to a disposal site and a third disposes it. Large facilities are more likely to own their own disposal methods, such as chemical sterilizers, incinerators, and radioactive storage areas. These large facilities are likely to use contract waste management companies for help managing the large amount of waste they generate. Smaller facilities can better handle the amount of waste produced, but are less likely to have disposal equipment, such as incinerators. Therefore, they may seek contract waste management companies for help disposing of waste. Whatever job the facility needs outside waste management companies to fulfill, the facility administration is responsible for oversight. Overall, waste management is always the responsibility of the facility that generated it.Personnel involved: Supervising and managing each item of medical waste requires awareness and good training of all staff members that handle waste, including medical assistants, nurses, doctors, administrators, garbage handlers, and transportation workers. Beyond awareness and training, healthcare leaders can outline a waste management plan that clearly defines the plan's objectives, time frame, allocation of resources, and compliance strategy.Developing a plan: This plan should minimize waste and emphasize segregating contaminated or toxic waste from non-hazardous, office-related garbage. Also, hazardous waste should be contained and transported to a safe storage place within the facility. Within 48 hours, facility staff should arrange for the waste to be exported using dedicated vehicles. Each type of waste might have different final treatment and disposal techniques. For example, sharps may be transported to an incinerator, while unused pharmaceuticals may be transported to a local landfill along with the rest of non-hazardous waste. Larger hospitals have created an employee position specifically focused on establishing and implementing uniform waste management policies while monitoring compliance with these policies. Beyond generation to disposal management, regulations should also arrange for regular incinerator inspections.Public policy: An infrastructure for supporting waste management on a facility level is important for safety. National, state, and local laws should implement and monitor compliance with standard waste management practices at every healthcare facility. In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are four organizations that implement rules and monitor compliance. State and local governments vary in executive and regulating responsibilities. Many states have environmental protection departments and other similar departments that have oversight. Currently, much of waste management oversight in the United States is the responsibility of each state. The U.S. government has created regulations and guidelines, such as those applied to mercury, a hazardous waste.International oversight: International agreements set at the Basel and Stockholm conventions have formed global guidelines for waste management and disposal.Basel convention: The Basel convention is an international treaty. This treaty limits hazardous waste movement between countries. At the end of the last century, some wealthier countries were paying less wealthy countries to take their hazardous wastes, including hazardous medical waste. This treaty aims to end this practice, making each country responsible for its own waste.Stockholm convention: The Stockholm convention is another treaty that restricts human production of persistent organic pollutants internationally. Persistent organic pollutants are substances that do not break down in the environment and can harm human health. An example of a persistent organic pollutant is a polychlorinated dibenzodioxin (PCDD), a type of dioxin that may be released by incinerators. Dioxins harm human health, potentially disrupting hormones and reproductive functions, among other side effects.JCAHO: The largest scale example of healthcare facility inspections is the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), also referred to as the Joint Commission. JCAHO is a non-profit organization commissioned by the federal government that inspects healthcare facilities to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local rules.JCAHO inspections: JCAHO inspectors make sure that health facilities follow rules governing many areas including patient safety, privacy of medical records, and hazardous waste management. If the inspectors find non-compliance in any area, they may impose monetary fines or not accredit the facility. This means the state will not reimburse the facility for medical bills from people using state-sponsored Medicare and Medicaid insurance. Healthcare facilities that are not compliant with local, state, and federal waste management regulations may experience financial hardships and damaged reputations.Technology: Having appropriate equipment for managing healthcare waste may not need to be complicated or expensive. Using safe containers and protective equipment can significantly reduce risks. Technologies and equipment that are optimal for each healthcare facility depends on a number of factors, including how much waste the facility produces; how accessible waste disposal sites are; local environmental laws; and the availability of human, financial, and material resources.Examples of technology: Technology is an important part of preventing harm from medical waste. For example, a membrane bioreactor system can clean wastewater and may prevent genotoxic waste from entering water supply areas. This technology may ultimately help prevent health problems. Another example is an autoclave. The EPA recommends this device as an incinerator-alternative. An autoclave uses high-pressure steam to sterilize medical waste, heating it to 248 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius).Cost: The risk of medical waste impacting the environment increases when financial resources are limited. For example, some healthcare clinics in developing countries cannot afford an incinerator. Therefore, they might leave infectious waste exposed in a landfill, endangering the local population. For example, the WHO reports that in Vladivostok, Russia, six children contracted smallpox from playing in a landfill near their homes.However, some programs to better manage waste in healthcare facilities can cut operating costs. For example, a recycling program in a Baltimore-based hospital cut garbage removal fees by $300,000 per year, according to the Urbanite magazine. Evaluating a facility's needs, researching options, purchasing equipment, and implementing new disposal procedures may be costly up front, but they may be a key long-term investment for the facility.Awareness: Raising awareness about safe medical waste disposal requires formulating a different message for each concerned party. Policy makers should understand the risks to the wellbeing of their constituents. Community members should learn ways to keep themselves safe. Healthcare workers should understand how to properly dispose of waste, how to organize and support proper waste disposal within the entire facility, and understand the importance. Many new hospital employees attend lectures, read material, and take quizzes about safe waste disposal methods; some employees are required to review waste management and other hospital safety measures each year.Factors affecting waste management: Many variables can change the waste stream, or how waste is managed as it moves from creation to disposal. Some healthcare facilities have more resources than others, and some nations have a better infrastructure for regulating medical waste than others. Furthermore, factors such as local climates and population densities might affect how waste can be disposed. For example, disposing the medical waste of a clinic in a high-population density area might be dangerous if landfills are too close to human habitation. Additionally, a facility in a location that receives a lot of rain might need to be more careful with landfill disposal, as chemicals are more likely to wash away into water supply areas. Medical waste disposal plans balance standard levels of safety with flexibility to respond to the facility's needs and restrictions.THEORY/EVIDENCEGeneral: In high-income countries, such as the United States, each person generates about 13 pounds (6 kilograms) of medical waste per year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). People in lower-income countries, such as Cambodia, generate between 1 pound (0.5 kilograms) to 6.5 pounds (3 kilograms) of waste per person, each year. Medical waste places healthcare workers, waste transporters, hospital patients, the general public, and the environment at risk.If any query please comment or inbox.Sandeep Chatterjee