Written by Amy Piser
20 Oct 2022

What Makes the Sharpsmart Container Safe?

Designs and components of medical containers and their disposal processes have come a long way, and one of the leaders in sharps medical waste disposal is the Sharpsmart reusable and sustainable sharps container. Sharpsmart containers have been clinically proven to reduce needlestick injuries by up to 87%, thanks its innovative design.

What makes our containers so special? Our containers are not only reusable, but versatile and effective in any sharps waste disposal scenario and healthcare management program. Use of safer sharps disposal containers can significantly reduce the risk and exposure of healthcare workers (or unsuspecting patients) to needlestick injuries.


TOPICS WE WILL COVER: 

1 / Our unique sharps container design

2 / Are Sharpsmart containers leak proof? 

3 / Sharpsmart containers reduce sharps injuries

4 / Do Sharpsmart containers have a needle disconnect tool?

5 / Do Sharpsmart containers need to be enclosed in a wall cabinet?

6 / Sharpsmart enhances safety  



Our unique sharps container design


Our sharps and biomedical waste containers are specifically designed to not only reduce and prevent sharps injuries but reduce the risk for transmission of bloodborne pathogens or infections. It has been estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that anywhere between 62% and 88% of needlestick injuries can be prevented with the use of properly designed and safer medical containers and devices.

Sharpsmart containers are specifically designed with highly engineered and sensitive safety trays that are activated by the placement of a needle and syringe into its specially designed tray. The tray operates on a safety tilt mechanism – a single swing action – and then releases away from the user to ensure safe sharps disposal.

Our containers are designed to ensure that hands and fingers will not come into contact with sharps once they are placed in the tray, thanks to its gravity balance mechanism that resets automatically until the container is full. 



Are Sharpsmart containers leak proof?


Daniels Health is dedicated to staying up-to-date with national, regional, and territorial laws and regulations (in addition to UN classifications) in developing containment systems that enhance safe and compliant disposal of all healthcare waste streams.

Our containers are designed to be leak proof, facilitated by gaskets affixed around the container rims. This ensures that bodily fluids or other liquids are unable to ooze, drip, or leak out of containers. Leaking of fluids is one of the most common hazards found in sharps containers that are not equipped with leak-proof seals. 



Sharpsmart containers reduce sharps injuries


The design of Sharpsmart containers also reduces the risk of sharps injuries to healthcare providers or members of the general public. How can you protect against an attempt to retrieve sharps from a container for illicit or unapproved use? Our Sharpsmart containers have been specially designed to prevent hands or fingers from entering through its retractable tray design.

These patented sharps safety trays provide a nearly 12-inch wide, one-handed, and easy-to-access opening that allows even larger sharps to be deposited into the tray without any need to press or force it. Our containers will not overflow or overfill because they will default into the closed position once they are full.

Needlestick injuries caused by an attempt to retrieve a syringe with needle is a leading cause of potential infection from viral or other bloodborne illnesses or diseases. 

 

 

 



Do Sharpsmart containers have a needle disconnect tool?


Per safety regulations, Sharpsmart containers do not have a needle disconnect tool. Needles should never be removed from syringes due to the potential for an accidental needle stick injury and the risks involved in such.

The CDC and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) strongly warn against bending, breaking, removing, or recapping needles, especially those contaminated with a possible bloodborne pathogen. Instead, it is strongly recommended that needles and their syringes should be immediately placed into a sharps disposal container after use.

According to CCOHS, needlestick injuries most commonly occur during use, but a large number also occurr during or after disposal due to improper disposal processes or transportation of disposal containers. 



Do Sharpsmart containers need to be enclosed in a wall cabinet?


Our containers are designed to facilitate one-handed sharps disposal for added safety. Enclosing sharps containers inside a cabinet requires a two-handed disposal processes and increases the risk of accidents.

When sharps containers are enclosed in a cabinet, the tendency is to insert the sharps into the container point first, which might not only be awkward, but increase the risk of contact and slippage and even dropping of a needle and syringe. Plus, it’s possible for needles to get stuck between the container and the wall cabinet.

Utilisation of our purposely designed one-handed horizontal drop enhances safety. The trays in our Sharpsmart containers are counterbalanced to not only inhibit sharps removal, but also to prevent overfilling.

Even a syringe that contains as little as 0.5 mL of insulin will automatically be deposited into the container once it is placed on the counterbalance tray. No pushing or pressing necessary. This safety design and mechanism drastically reduces injuries or potential accidents when depositing needles and syringes into the container. In addition, our containers are designed with a larger and safer aperture in which to insert sharps without added manipulation. 



Sharpsmart enhances safety


With over 30 years of experience in medical and sharps waste management and disposal, Daniels Health Canada is dedicated to reducing waste while at the same time enhancing productivity, sustainability, and environmental safety. Our Sharpsmart containers provide an overall solution that protects not only healthcare professionals, but the environment. For more information about our Sharpsmart products and healthcare waste solutions, contact one of our knowledgeable representative today.


REQUEST A QUOTE

 

 

Header Style: 
Amy Piser

Amy Piser

Clinical Waste Educator

With 26 years experience working in healthcare, Amy has implemented sustainability initiatives for over 100 hospitals across the United States and brings unique practice and compliance expertise to healthcare waste management.