1. Lecture : Tasks and Responsibilities in the Management of Healthcare Wastes
Which one do you want ?
by Dr Mohammed Ali Al Zahrani

2. Where and how is Responsibilities for what in the logistics chain ?
نشأة
النفايات
فصل
النفايات
النقل
لمحطات
المعالجة
النقل
لمراكز
التخزين
مكان جاهز
للتخلص من
النفايات
نقاط الخطر داخل المنشآت الصحية
معالجة
النفايات
والتخلص
منها
التخزين
المؤقت
للنفايات
إدارة
النقل
نقل
وتتبع
النفايات
مجموعة
النفايات
الخارجية
نقاط الخطر خارج المنشآت الصحية

3. The structure of healthcare waste management roles and responsibilties
Let us now look in the following slides at each position and see there roles and responsibilities as defined in national and international legislation

4. The three pillars of a hospital – The position of the HWO
Board of Directors
HWO
Medical Sector
Medical Staff
Pharmacy
Infectious control
etc.
Nursing Sector
Nursing Staff
Midwife
Nursing assistance
etc.
Admin. Sector
Administration
Housekeeping
Technical Staff
etc.

5. The Healthcare Waste Officer - HWO

6.  تعـريف الـنفـايات الطبية .
 الفرز والألوان .
 المناولة والجمع .
 إجراءات السلامة .
 مواصفات المستلزمات .
 التخزين .
 فكرة مبسطة عن المعالجة .
 خطة الإدارة .

7. The three pillars of a hospital
Question : Where does the HWO come in ?
Board of Directors
Medical Sector
Medical Staff
Pharmacy
Infectious control
etc.
Nursing Sector
Nursing Staff
Midwife
Nursing assistance
etc.
Admin. Sector
Administration
Housekeeping
Technical Staff
etc.

8. The three pillars of a hospital – The position of the HWO
Board of Directors
HWO
Medical Sector
Medical Staff
Pharmacy
Infectious control
etc.
Nursing Sector
Nursing Staff
Midwife
Nursing assistance
etc.
Admin. Sector
Administration
Housekeeping
Technical Staff
etc.

9. “ Train the trainer “ approach Supervisors Engineers
How training the HWO will help the Hospital to have their own training
“ Train the trainer “ approach
Hospital,
Appoint HWO
HWO
Trains and supervise
Supervisors Engineers
Medical Doctors
Head Nurses
Train
Train
Administration staff, Cleaners, Kitchen staff, etc.
Nurses, Assistant Nurses, Helper, etc.

10. Now the Roles of the Head of the Hospital – what is his responsibility for the healthcare waste management ?
Head of Hospital
The Head of Hospital is responsible for the following tasks:
-Forming a waste management team to develop a written waste management plan for the hospital. The plan should clearly defined with the duties and responsibilities of all members of staff, both clinical and non-clinical, in respect of the handling of health-care waste, and establish lines of accountability.
- Designating a Waste Management Officer to supervise and coordinate the waste management plan. The Head of Hospital retains overall responsibility for ensuring that health-care and other wastes are disposed of in accordance with national guidelines.
Continued -

11. Now the Roles of the Head of the Hospital – what is his responsibility for the healthcare waste management ?
Head of Hospital ( continued )
The Head of Hospital is also responsible for the following tasks:
- Keeping the management plan up to date.
- Allocating sufficient financial and personnel resources to ensure efficient operation of the plan. For example, sufficient staff should be assigned to the Waste Management Officer to ensure efficient operation of the waste management plan.
- Ensuring that monitoring procedures are incorporated in the plan.
The efficiency and effectiveness of the disposal system should be monitored so that the system can be updated and improved when necessary.
- Immediately appointing a successor in the event of personnel leaving key positions in the waste management team (or temporarily assigning responsibility to another staff member until a successor can be appointed).
- Ensuring adequate training for key staff members and designating the
staff responsible for coordinating and implementing training courses.

12. Now the Roles of the Department Heads of the Hospital – what are their responsibility for the healthcare waste management ?
Department Heads
The Department Heads in a Hospital are responsible for the following tasks:
Department Heads are responsible for the segregation, storage, and disposal of waste generated in their departments. They should :
- Ensure that all doctors, nurses, and clinical and non-clinical professional staff in their departments are aware of the segregation and storage procedures and that all personnel comply with the highest standards;
- Continuously liaise with the HWO to monitor working practices for failures or mistakes;
- Ensure that key staff members in their departments are given training in waste segregation and disposal procedures;
- Encourage medical and nursing staff to be vigilant so as to ensure that hospital attendants and ancillary staff follow correct procedures at all times.

13. Now the Roles of the Hospital Manager and Matron of the Hospital – what are their responsibility for the healthcare waste management ?
Matron and Hospital Manager
The Matron (or Senior Nursing Officer) and the Hospital Manager are responsible for training nursing staff, medical assistants, hospital attendants, and ancillary staff in the correct procedures for segregation, storage, transport, and disposal of waste. They should therefore:
-Liaise with the HWO and the advisers (Infection Control Officer, Chief Pharmacist, and Radiation Officer) to maintain the highest standards;
-Participate in staff introduction to, and continuous training in, the
handling and disposal of health-care waste;
- Liaise with Department Heads to ensure coordination of training activities, other waste management issues specific to particular departments, etc.

14. Now the Roles of the Infection Control Officer – what is his / her responsibility for the healthcare waste management ?
Infection Control Officer
The Infection Control Officer should liaise with the HWO on a continuous basis and provide advice concerning the control of infection and the standards of the waste disposal system. His or her duties are to:
- identify training requirements according to staff grade and occupation;
- organize and supervise staff training courses on safe waste
management;
-liaise with the Department Heads, the Matron, and the Hospital Manager to coordinate the training.
Note : The Infection Control Officer should also has overall responsibility for chemical disinfection, sound management of chemical stores, and chemical waste minimization.

15. Now the Roles of the Chief Pharmacist – what is his / her responsibility for the healthcare waste management ?
Chief Pharmacist
The Chief Pharmacist is responsible for the sound management of pharmaceutical stores and for pharmaceutical waste minimization. His or her duties are to:
- Liaise with Department Heads, the HWO, the Matron, and the Hospital Manager, giving advice, in accordance with the national policy and guidelines, on the appropriate procedures for pharmaceutical waste disposal;
- Coordinate continuous monitoring of procedures for the disposal of pharmaceutical waste;
- Ensure that personnel involved in pharmaceutical waste handling and
disposal receive adequate training.
The Chief Pharmacist also has the special responsibility of ensuring the safe utilization of genotoxic products and the safe management of genotoxic waste.

16. Now the Roles of the Radiation Officer – what is his / her responsibility for the healthcare waste management ?
Radiation Officer
The duties and responsibilities of the Radiation Officer are the same as those of the Pharmaceutical Officer but relate to radioactive waste

17. Now the Roles of the Contracts Department – what is their responsibility for the healthcare waste management ?
Contracts Department
The Contracts Department should liase with the contractors and the HWO to ensure a continuous supply of the items required for waste management (plastic bags and
containers of the right quality, spare parts for on-site health-care waste
treatment equipment, etc.). These items should be ordered in good time to ensure that they are always available, but accumulation of excessive
stores should be avoided. The Contracts Department should also investigate the
possibility of purchasing environmentally friendly products (e.g. PVC-
free plastic items

18. Now the Roles of the Hospital Engineer – what is his responsibility for the healthcare waste management ?
Hospital Engineer
The Hospital Engineer is responsible for installing and maintaining waste storage facilities and handling equipment that comply with the specifications of the national guidelines.
She or he is also accountable for the adequate operation and maintenance of any on-site waste treatment equipment ( eg autoclave in laboratory or sewage treatment plant ) and is responsible for the staff involved in waste treatment, ensuring that:
Staff receive training in the principles of waste disposal and are aware of their responsibilities under the hospital waste management plan;
Staff operating on-site waste treatment facilities are trained in their operation and maintenance.

19. Education programmes should include:
Do you think that Training is Important Now and for How ?
Education programmes should include:
Information on each aspect of the healthcare policy and its justification
Informing everybody about his responsibilities and role in implementing this policy
Technical instructions on the application of the practices relevant for the target group

20. “ Train the trainer “ approach Supervisors Engineers
How training the HWO will help the Hospital to have their own training
“ Train the trainer “ approach
Hospital,
Appoint HWO
HWO
Trains and supervise
Supervisors Engineers
Medical Doctors
Head Nurses
Train
Train
Administration staff, Cleaners, Kitchen staff, etc.
Nurses, Assistant Nurses, Helper, etc.

21. Finally – we can conclude that Human and Institutional Capability Development is necessary in the Hospital
Training and skill development is at the core of capacity building
People need to work together to achieve common goals
They need to be trained and given the required resources, supervised and motivated
Thank-you