PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT NO . 6
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT NO . 6
SAFE DISPOSAL OF WASTE IN A DENTAL SURGERY SETTING - COLOUR CODING FOR EASIER SEGREGATION
BY REBECCA WATERS , CATEGORY MANAGER , INITIAL MEDICAL .
Rebecca has worked in the Healthcare sector for the past 13 years and was a Research Chemist with Bayer Cropscience prior to joining Rentokil Initial in 2003 . She is an active member of the CIWM , SMDSA and BDIA .
� Colour psychology is the study of hues as a determinant of human behaviour . Different colours can have different effects on people and as such can be used to influence feelings and emotions .
For dental providers , colour can be used to create a persona for the practice . The most common colour used on a dental practice ’ s website , for example , is blue and this colour has been associated with the dental and medical field for a long time for an important reason ; blue conveys trust and intelligence . It provides the reassurance that a patient requires when searching for a new dentist . White is also very widely used as it transmits clinical cleanliness and the impression that the dentist is open and honest , with nothing to hide . A colour most often avoided in this profession is red . In society , it is seen as an alert for danger or implies pain and anger – none of which are positive associations for a dental practice !
Once a patient has browsed a website or seen an advertisement and decided to visit the practice , their first impression of the entrance , reception and waiting room is important as it sets the scene for their future relationship with the practice . Cool , natural colours are inviting and create a comfortable environment for the patient to wait in whilst helping to reduce any apprehension or fear in an otherwise very clinical environment . Similarly , using black or champagne coloured accessories could generate feelings of luxury and sophistication and if the practice treats a lot of children , brighter , bolder colours are fun and more inviting for the younger visitors . The patient demographic is therefore important to consider when decorating the practice and selecting a colour scheme .
OTHER USES OF COLOUR IN THE PRACTICE Aside from their use in décor , colours in the dental practice are also symbolic of different waste streams . For everyone ’ s safety , the Department of Health ’ s ‘ Safe Management of Healthcare Waste Memorandum HTM 07- 01 ’ outlines a best practice waste segregation colour coding system for hazardous and non-hazardous waste . This helps dental staff to ensure that all waste produced is correctly separated and therefore disposed of and treated correctly , optimising the safety
of both professionals and patients while also protecting the environment . Below is an extract of the different colour codes recommended by HTM 07-01 that are most likely to be applicable in a dental practice :
• Orange – Clinical and infectious waste – Any waste arising from healthcare activities that could pose a risk to public health or the environment , unless properly disposed of , is classed as ‘ orange ’ including swabs , gloves , paper towels and masks .
• White – Dental ( amalgam ) waste – The mercury vapour released from dental amalgam can be absorbed by the lungs and high exposure has been associated with health effects in the brain and kidneys . It is therefore important to install amalgam separators to filter out amalgam in waste water and safely dispose of the substance .
• White – Dental ( gypsum ) waste – Gypsum is banned from normal landfill as it can produce sulphide gas when mixed with biodegradable waste . It must therefore be segregated and disposed of separately .
• Blue – Medicinal waste – This includes anaesthetic cartridges , tablets in containers , blister packs , unopened medicine vials and any waste pharmaceuticals or out-of-date or denatured drugs .
• Yellow – Clinical and highly infectious waste – Almost always classified as ‘ hazardous ’, this type of waste includes any disposable items that are contaminated with bodily fluids of infectious patients , including any protective clothing or dressings .
• Purple – Cytotoxic and Cytostatic waste
– Perhaps slightly less common in dental practices , anyone using botulinum toxin in treatments should be discarding used needles into purple-lidded sharps containers .
• Tiger – Offensive / hygiene waste – This includes any nappies , feminine sanitary products and incontinence pads .
• Black – Mixed municipal waste – General waste such as wrappers , packaging and drink cans should go into normal black bags .
It ’ s important that the entire practice team understands the colour coding system in order for it to be most effective , so regular training and knowledge refreshment should be conducted . To help streamline the process , the appropriate sharps containers , bins or bags should be located as close to the place of waste generation as possible .
Posters are very helpful as well when put up in relevant areas of the practice as these will help remind professionals of what type of waste needs to go in which colour container . By working with leading waste disposal services such as Initial Medical , you can also select from the various different sized containers to suit your needs , with sure locking systems and permanent hermetic seals on rigid and sharps containers to ensure a secure close .
For more information about the colour coding system for effective waste segregation and disposal , ‘ Follow the Colour Code ’ by visiting www . followthecolourcode . co . uk or using # followthecolour on twitter .
www . initial . co . uk / medical
86 Dental Practice Magazine