Posted By Uday
We are in the process of getting rid of our rubbish chutes from our 4 storey hospital building.May I therefore request readers of this forum to help me in suggesting any interim plans for getting rid of the rubbish from various levels and wards, before our incinerators or compactors are installed.Any help or guidance would be highly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Posted By Uday
Hi Thanks Mike,
Just to give you an idea as to why we wish to get rid of the chutes.
It is simply because someone decides that the chutes should not be used for any types of waste/rubbish and be used only for general waste only. However It was evidenced that medication and clinical waste is being disposed of thru this chute ( in plastic trash bags ) and the rubbish bags exit at high speed and were reported to often break within the chute room, resulting in scattering of rubbish and hat is considered to represent a significant health and safety risk and is not considered to represent appropriate handling of waste within the hospital. Therefore it was recommended that the use of chutes be ceased imediately.At times evidence of fluids on walls and medication from busted rubbish bags within rubbish chute could be seen.
We currently use plastic bags and those bags are tied and sent down thru the chute.
Therefore May I request readers of this forum to suggest any bags which would not split, break or leak so that we do not have to get rid of the chutes which according to me having a chute in high rise buildings have plenty of advantages and benefits..
Any suggestions from readers of this forum please. Thanks

Posted By Cr8r
Uday,

This might be obvious, but are they double bagging the waste? (ie sealing up the waste in a bag and putting this in another bag and sealing that up too.) Double bagging would prevent many of the spillages occuring, although of course there are no guarantees and you would need to make sure everyone did it.

Posted By David Mains
The problem with these chutes in hospitals is that all kinds of waste end up going into them which does not comply with the waste regs which require segregation. Unfortunately there are also tales of items that are not waste like dishes and potentially patients finding their way into the chutes.

Locking off the access hatch on each level does not work as too many people need access and it is impossible to trace who is resposible for any breaches of your policy.
Double bagging is also not efficient due to the volume, weight in the waste areas and the potential ripping when in the chute. Additionally, once the bags are at the bottom of the chute they then have to be lifted and transported to the collection point.

One solution is to place large volume bins on each level or in each ward - colour coded for domestic, clinical and linen. To prevent double handling bins should be swapped for empty bins and a lifting device put in place at the compactor units. In Scotland we no longer incinerate on site.

Posted By David Mains
Uday,

it is difficult to give a specific answer on whether they are safe or not without knowing all the facts and seeing them in situ. I am afraid that I will have to sit on the fence and say that a risk assessment will probably be required to determine whether the controls are adequate for any hazards that you have. Then it is a case of making a judgement on whether the pros that you outweight the cons.

I would add that my organisation removed their chutes after a neighbouring hospital received a notice following a visit from the HSE. However I do know of other hospitals that still have chutes for laundry.