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AUTOCLAVE BAGS AND CHAMBER LINERS:
Autoclave
bags and chamber liners are required to keep the melting red bags
from sticking on the sterilizers chamber walls. Several types
of autoclave bags and chamber liners are available. The raw materials
used in its manufacture and the product specifications determine
the quality of a plastic bag and its suitability for use to contain
infectious waste. Two different criteria are often used to judge
the suitability of a plastic bag: It's thickness and its durability,
as evaluated by the ASTM dart test(16).
Packaged
infectious waste should be easily identifiable. This may be accomplished
by the use of containers with the distinctive red or orange color
that indicates biohazardous material. Another option is the use
of the universal symbol on all infectious waste packages and containers.
The identification system should include clear labeling to indicate
all hazards that are present in the waste. To prevent the dispersal
of infectious agents can be greatly reduced by double bagging
the waste, rather than single bagging waste. For Ascetic reasons
opaque plastic is sometimes preferable when containing certain
types of infectious waste. Translucent bags are suitable for infectious
waste when aesthetics are not a concern. Standard plastic bags
are constructed of polyethylene material and tend to break down
at the temperatures achieved through steam sterilization.
The autoclaveable
bags or liners are made out of a polypropylene plastic which does
not melt at the temperatures achieved at sterilization and maintains
it's integrity. Thus the autoclaveable bags acts as containment
bags in the life of the sterilization chamber and allows the steam
to penetrate the waste load completely. Since sterilization is
accomplished through a combination of time and temperature. Each
autoclavable bag is marked with a biological indicator or "Kill
Strip". The indicator will turn colors after it had been
exposed to the sterilization process, thus anyone visually checking
the sterilized waste load will be able to monitor the kill strip
indicating that all steam sterilizers should be routinely inspected
and serviced. Monitoring the steam sterilization process is required
to ensure effective treatment of the waste load. The process should
be monitored periodically (usually once per month) to check that
proper procedures are being followed and that the equipment is
functioning properly. The United States Pharmacopoeia as the biological
indicator for monitoring steam sterilization recommends Bacillus
Stearothermophilus. |
