Checklist template

Sharps and biomedical waste for clinics

A ready-to-use checklist with 114 items in 6 sections, covering Sharps, Segregation, Storage, Haulers, Exposure response, Records. Use it as-is in InspectLoop, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 114 Items
  • 90 Yes / No checks
  • 7 Scored ratings
  • 125 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Sharps 21 items

  1. A sharps container is within arm's reach of the point of use in every exam room Yes / No 1 pt
  2. A sharps container is within arm's reach at the phlebotomy chair Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Sharps containers are wall-mounted or held in a bracket so they cannot tip over Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Sharps containers are mounted at a height where the opening is visible to a standing user Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Sharps containers in rooms used by children are out of reach of a child Yes / No 1 pt
  6. No sharps container checked was filled above the fill line Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Full sharps containers are closed with the final lock before removal Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Sharps containers are puncture-resistant and carry the biohazard symbol Yes / No 1 pt
  9. No needle or syringe was found in a regular trash bin or red bag during the visit Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Needles are not recapped by hand; two clinical staff asked confirmed the practice Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Safety-engineered needles are in use for injections Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Safety-engineered devices are in use for blood collection Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The safety feature of used devices seen in containers had been activated Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Scalpel blades are removed with a blade remover or single-use safety scalpels are used Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Used sharps are not passed hand to hand; a tray or neutral zone is used in the procedure room Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Sharps containers taken on home visits or outreach have a lid that closes for transport Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Glass ampoules and broken glass contaminated with blood go into a sharps container Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Front-line staff took part in the last selection of safety devices, with a record on file Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Sharps containers checked during the visit Number
  20. Sharps containers found above the fill line Number
  21. Condition and placement of sharps containers Rating
    • All within reach and below the fill line 5 pts
    • One or two overfilled or badly placed 3 pts
    • Several overfilled or missing 1 pt

2. Segregation 18 items

  1. A color-coded chart showing which waste goes in which container is posted in the clinical area Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Biomedical waste bins are lined with bags of the color required by local regulation, marked with the biohazard symbol Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Biomedical waste bins have a lid operated by a foot pedal Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Exam rooms have a separate bin for regular trash Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Regular trash bins checked contained no blood-soaked dressings or tubing Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Biomedical waste bins checked contained no packaging, paper towels or exam table paper Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Expired and waste medications go into a pharmaceutical waste container, not the sink or a sharps container Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Waste from hazardous drugs, where given, goes into its own labeled container Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Tissue and specimen waste from minor procedures goes into the container required by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Urine cups and specimen containers are emptied or disposed of according to the posted chart Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Fixatives and laboratory reagents are collected as chemical waste Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Used batteries are collected for recycling or special disposal, not placed in regular trash Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Mercury thermometers and blood pressure gauges, where any remain, are set aside for special disposal Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Documents with patient names are not placed in biomedical waste bags Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Staff asked could say which container takes a blood-soaked gauze and which takes a used glove with no visible blood Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Waste bins opened and checked during the visit Number
  17. Bins found with waste in the wrong stream Number
  18. Segregation of waste at the point of use Rating
    • Correct in every bin checked 5 pts
    • A few items in the wrong stream 3 pts
    • Streams routinely mixed 1 pt

3. Storage 20 items

  1. Biomedical waste waiting for pickup is kept in a room or enclosure used only for waste Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The waste storage room is locked Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The door of the waste storage room carries the biohazard symbol Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The waste storage room is not reachable by patients or the public Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Waste bags are tied closed before they leave the exam room Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Tied bags are placed in rigid, leak-proof transport containers with lids Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Transport containers are labeled with the clinic name and address as required by the hauler Yes / No 1 pt
  8. No bag or sharps container is stored directly on the floor Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The floor of the waste storage room is washable with no carpet Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The waste storage room shows no leaks, spills or odor Yes / No 1 pt
  11. No signs of rodents or insects are present in the waste storage room Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Waste is not stored longer than the time allowed by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Anatomical waste, where generated, is kept refrigerated or frozen until pickup Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Clean supplies and linen are not stored in the waste storage room Yes / No 1 pt
  15. A spill kit is kept in or next to the waste storage room Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Staff move waste to storage with a cart or closed container, not by carrying bags against the body Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Waste is moved to storage outside peak patient hours or by a route away from the waiting room Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Containers of biomedical waste in storage at the time of the visit Number
  19. Date of the oldest container in the waste storage room Date
  20. Condition of the waste storage area Rating
    • Locked, clean and labeled 5 pts
    • Secure with housekeeping issues 3 pts
    • Unlocked or waste on the floor 1 pt

4. Haulers 17 items

  1. The clinic has a current contract with a licensed biomedical waste hauler Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Name of the biomedical waste hauler Short text
  3. A copy of the hauler's license or permit is on file as required by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Pickups took place on the contract schedule over the last 3 months Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Date of the last biomedical waste pickup Date
  6. A staff member is present to hand over the waste at each pickup Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The staff member who signs the manifest has been trained to do so Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The number of containers on the manifest matched the number handed over at the last pickup Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The hauler leaves clean, empty containers at each pickup Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Containers left by the hauler are undamaged and have lids that close Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Signed copies of the manifest are returned by the treatment facility Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Mail-back sharps systems, where used, are shipped in the supplier's approved packaging Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Pharmaceutical waste is collected by a hauler authorized for that waste Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The clinic knows the hauler's emergency contact number for a missed pickup or a spill Yes / No 1 pt
  15. The hauler's driver does not enter clinical areas unescorted Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Containers collected at the last pickup Number
  17. Reliability of waste pickups Rating
    • On schedule with complete paperwork 5 pts
    • Occasional missed pickup or paperwork gap 3 pts
    • Frequent missed pickups 1 pt

5. Exposure response 19 items

  1. The procedure to follow after a needlestick or splash is posted in the clinical area Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Two clinical staff asked could state the first aid steps after a needlestick Yes / No 1 pt
  3. An eyewash station or eyewash bottles are within reach of areas where splashes can occur Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Eyewash bottles are sealed and within their expiry date Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The plumbed eyewash station is flushed weekly, with a record Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The posted procedure names the clinic or emergency department that provides post-exposure assessment Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Two clinical staff asked said they would seek post-exposure assessment the same day, without waiting for the next shift Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The contact number for post-exposure assessment is reachable during all clinic hours Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Source patient testing is requested according to the company procedure Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Exposures are reported to the supervisor before the end of the shift Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Each exposure in the last 12 months has a completed incident report Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Each exposure report records the device involved and how the injury happened Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Follow-up testing of exposed staff is tracked to completion Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Hepatitis B vaccination has been offered to staff at risk, with acceptance or refusal on file Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Gloves resistant to punctures are available to staff who handle waste containers Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Needlestick and sharps injuries recorded in the last 12 months Number
  17. Blood or body fluid splash exposures recorded in the last 12 months Number
  18. Date of the most recent exposure incident Date
  19. Staff knowledge of what to do after a needlestick or splash, from interviews Rating
    • Could state first aid, who to tell and where to go 5 pts
    • Unsure of one of the steps 3 pts
    • Did not know the procedure 1 pt

6. Records 19 items

  1. Waste manifests for the retention period required by local regulation are on file at the clinic Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Certificates of treatment or destruction are matched to the manifests Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The clinic keeps a log of sharps injuries as required by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The written exposure control plan was reviewed in the last 12 months Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Date of the last review of the exposure control plan Date
  6. The written biomedical waste plan names the waste streams produced by the clinic Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Staff who handle waste completed biomedical waste training in the last 12 months Yes / No 1 pt
  8. New hires receive bloodborne pathogen training before handling sharps Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Training records list the date, the content and the names of those trained Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The clinic's registration as a waste generator is current where local regulation requires one Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Monthly waste weights or container counts are reviewed by the clinic manager Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Weight of biomedical waste collected last month (lb or kg) Number
  13. Injury trends were reviewed at a staff or safety meeting in the last 12 months Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Corrective actions from the previous waste review have been completed Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Name of the person responsible for biomedical waste Short text
  16. Name of the clinic manager Short text
  17. Completeness of waste and exposure records Rating
    • Complete and current 5 pts
    • Some records missing 3 pts
    • Records not kept 1 pt
  18. Overall management of sharps and biomedical waste Rating
    • Sharps contained, streams separated and pickups documented 5 pts
    • Safe handling, with gaps in segregation or records 3 pts
    • Overfilled sharps containers, mixed streams or unsecured waste 1 pt
  19. Corrective actions required Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the InspectLoop template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In InspectLoop you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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