Hazardous waste abandoned at Imperial hospital
Medical students at Charing Cross Hospital were put in direct contact with an unattended skip of clinical waste as they attempted to enter the hospital's laboratory block on Friday, 12 May.
Overflowing bags, which can contain anything from human tissue to drugs and dressings, were obstructing the exit from a lift, which is accessible to patients, students and visitors at the hospital. One student walked into an overflowing clinical waste bag as she left a public-access lift on route to her tutorial. She had to move the yellow `biohazard' containers in order to get past the obstruction.
The distressed fourth year student told Felix: "This is utterly unacceptable. It looked as if someone had left early for the weekend and dumped a skip of potentially hazardous waste in front of a lift for some poor soul to walk right into. The bags were unstable and if one had split open, I dread to think what might have happened."
There are usually stringent controls in place to ensure that clinical waste is managed safely and is disposed of without harming the environment or human health. Contravention of waste controls is a criminal offence. Section 34 of the Environment Protection Act 1990 places people concerned with clinical waste under a duty of care to ensure that the waste is disposed of safely and is only transferred to someone who is authorised to handle it.
Students noticed that the waste had been left untouched for two hours and contacted Felix to voice their concerns. We spoke to the hospital switchboard to report the incident and were put through to the Duty Porter's office, who confusingly said, "put it in the bin". We later contacted Imperial College Charing Cross Security and the skip was removed for incineration within the hour.
An employee working nearby described the situation as "disgusting" and immediately contacted the hospital's Health and Safety Executive. The Facilities Department at Charing Cross Hospital are currently investigating the matter.
Danny McGuiness, ICSM SU President, said: "This is indeed unacceptable and I sincerely hope it has been reported to the Health and Safety Lead at the Trust. Our students should be able to go about their studies and placements safe in the knowledge that their health and safety will come to no harm."
College released this statement: "The College is concerned by the reports that a clinical waste cart was mistakenly left outside the entrance to the laboratory block... Although the College is confident no one was at risk under these circumstances, an investigation has been launched with the Hammersmith Hospitals Trust to determine the events which led to this incident.
All clinical waste is first placed in clearly marked bags prior to loading onto a clinical waste cart and disposal is thereafter handled by the NHS Trust with whom the College regularly liaises.
All staff and students at the College are made aware of the potential risks posed by it, in accordance with both College and Trust health and safety regulations."
Chris Miles, News Editor
Felix's View
This incident is an embarrassment to both College and the NHS Trust. There is a high risk of disease and contamination from clinical waste: the Hospital have endangered both our students and the public as a whole.
It is difficult to fathom how this was allowed to occur. There are strict governmental regulations regarding the handling of such waste. These regulations were clearly breached: not only was the waste left unattended in a publicly accessible area, but it was also unsecured and overflowing.
When we first contacted the hospital authorities, they appeared to misunderstand, and the skip was only removed when we contacted College Security. Disciplinary action should be taken against the person responsible.
