Why do facilities solidify suction canisters?
There are three primary reasons to solidify medical waste.
Reason One: SAFETY
Transporting solidified waste whether in-house or off-site, makes this necessary and inevitable process safer for all healthcare facility personnel.
Uncapping a port on a suction canister lid to add a solidifier AFTER the canister is filled with medical waste risks exposing your staff to aerosolized bloodborne pathogens and spilling the canister contents. SafeSorb is the only solidifier designed to be added to the canister PRIOR to starting a procedure, vastly reducing the risk of staff exposure to these pathogens.
Reason Two: TRANSPORTATION
If the medical waste at your facility is going to be transported offsite for treatment and disposal, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires liquid medical waste to be packaged in accordance with new DOT regulations. The Final Rule for Hazardous Materials: Revision to Standards for Infectious Substances, 49 CFR Part 171 became effective in February 2003. These new regulations directly impact the packaging requirements of suction canisters and liners which will be transported offsite as follows:
The new regulations effectively prohibit the placement of suction liners in red bags without first placing the liner in its own rigid packaging (See Sections 173.196.a.6 and 173.197.a).
Every suction canister must be wrapped with sufficient absorbent material to absorb the entire contents of the canister before placing the canister in a rigid, watertight non-bulk outer packaging (See Sections 173.6.a.4, 173.196.a.2, and 173.196.a.4).
If red bags are used, no more than one full and wrapped 3000cc suction canister can be placed in a single red bag (See Section 173.6.a.4.B.ii).
Wrapped suction canisters must be placed in rigid, watertight non-bulk outer packaging. Examples of non-bulk outer packaging include reusable plastic boxes or sealable cardboard boxes with heavy duty liners (See Sections 173.6.a.4.ii and 173.196.a.2).
No more than four full and wrapped 3000cc suction canisters can be placed in one rigid, watertight non-bulk outer package (See Section 173.6.a.4.B.ii).
The differing requirements for liquid and solid regulated medical waste effectively require facilities to segregate liquid and solid waste. Segregating (liquid) suction canisters can be avoided by first solidifying the suction canister contents with SafeSorb.
Reason Three: COST EFFECTIVENESS
Unless the healthcare facility is going to treat liquid medical waste onsite, the waste will have to be transported off-site to a waste processing facility. In order to transport the waste it must be prepared in accordance with the DOT regulations outlined above, or solidified prior to shipment. It is clearly less expensive, less confusing for the personnel preparing the waste for transport and far simpler to solidify the waste prior to transporting the waste to a processing facility.
If your facility is considering processing suction canister waste onsite, it is likely that any method you are considering is far more expensive and time consuming than solidifying suction canisters with SafeSorb. We have developed cost analysis programs to compare the cost of solidifying canisters with SafeSorb versus using the Dornoch Transposal® Safety Station System, Stryker® Instrument's Neptune® System or using a fluid solidifier/disinfectant.
There is no safer or more cost effective way to dispose of suction canister waste than solidifying the canister contents with SafeSorb.
Will SafeSorb alter the volume indicated on the graduated lines of the suction canister?
SafeSorb is specifically designed so that it will not impact the volume indicated on the graduated lines of the suction canister. You will see an accurate fluid measurement every time you use SafeSorb.
How long does it take for SafeSorb to solidify the contents of a suction canister?
SafeSorb solidifies most effectively in the 28°C to 38°C temperature range, the average temperature range of fluids entering the suction canister. SafeSorb will also work outside of this temperature range; it will solidify slower in cooler fluids and faster in warmer fluids. Typically, by the time the procedure is completed the suction canister will be completely solidified.
SafeSorb® is a registered trademark of DiSorb Systems, Inc.
Transposal® is a registered trademark of Dornoch Medical Systems, Inc.
Neptune® is a registered trademark of American Immuno Tech, LLC
Stryker® is a registered trademark of Stryker Corporation
