Every health care risk waste generator operating within the Western Cape Province MUST comply the 2013 Western Cape Health Care Risk Waste Regulations. In this blog we summarise the most important legal obligations placed on doctors, dentists, funeral parlors, veterinarians, and all other HCRW generators.
What is Health Care Risk Waste (HCRW)?
Below are the types of HCRW as defined in our legislation:
laboratory waste; | sanitary waste; |
anatomical waste; | nappy waste; |
genotoxic/cytotoxic waste; | low-level radioactive waste; and |
infectious waste; | pharmaceutical waste; |
sharps waste |
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The most common types of HCRW are infectious and sanitary waste (the waste placed in cardboard boxsets); Sharps (placed in yellow containers); and pharmaceutical waste (placed in green containers).
So, what are the legal obligations placed on HCRW generators?
The regulations detail several regulations that govern how HCRW generators are to handle their waste. Below we have summarised the most important aspects of this responsibility.
Training for staff - Regulation 10
A generator of health care risk waste must provide training to all personnel in its employ who are involved in the management of health care risk waste to ensure that the following principles and practices are understood and implemented, namely—
(a) health care risk waste segregation;
(b) best infection control practices, including emergency procedures;
(c) waste minimisation; and
(d) improved environmental awareness.
The training must include the following:
(a) knowledge with regard to the contents and requirements of these regulations;
(b) information, instructions, training and supervision regarding the potential risk to health caused by exposure to health care risk waste;
(c) training and supervision with regard to the necessity for, and the correct use and maintenance of, safety equipment used and the importance of control measures applied by a generator, transporter, treater or disposer;
(d) knowledge with regard to the procedures to be followed in the event of exposure, spillage, leakage, injury or similar incident; and
(e) knowledge with regard to the procedures to be followed when decontaminating or disinfecting contaminated areas.
Generator Registration – Regulation 11
A HCRW generator must register with the Western Cape Health Department by submitting a registration form. The Director of Waste Management will issue a registration certificate in terms of the regulations.
Generator Reporting - Regulation 12
A HCRW generator must report monthly on the online IPWIS reporting platform and must include the monthly subtotal for each category of health care risk waste generated.
Audit and Reporting – Regulation 13 & 14
A HCRW generator must conduct internal audits of its HCRW processes every three months and must keep the records of all waste reporting for a minimum period of five years.
HCRW Management Plans – Regulation 15
A HCRW generator that who generates 20 kg or more of health care risk waste per day, when calculated monthly as a daily average, must prepare a health care waste management plan, which must be reviewed annually.
If you are a HCRW generator and would like some assistance with compliance in terms of the above regulations, email us at myles@jumperwaste.co.za, or call us at 082 040 9992. We provide clients with tailor-made HCRW management solutions that assist HCRW generators to remain compliant at all times.
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