Procedures

Sharps Found on Library Property

When staff or patrons find sharps on Library property:

1. Leave the sharp where you found it
2. If needed, have one person stay with the sharp(s) to keep people out of the area. Only PIC-trained staff, LSLs, and trained janitorial staff may collect and dispose of sharps.
3. Gather your tools:
   1. Nitrile gloves
   2. Tongs or a pick-up tool
   3. Small (1 qt) sharps container
4. Bring container to the sharp.  Open the container lid and place in on a flat surface. (Do not hold container while putting the sharp inside)
5. Wear nitrile gloves and use a tool to pick up the sharp
6. Carefully put sharp into container, point down
7. Close the lid of the container without snapping it fully shut
8. Dispose of gloves, put tongs/pick-up tool and sharps container away
9. Wash hands with soap and water
10. Write incident report

At locations with the exterior sharps collection boxes (currently Belmont, Holgate and Midland) follow the "What if I see a sharps collection box is full or has been damaged?" procedures on the county's Syringe Disposal page.  

Needlestick (blood or other potentially infectious body fluid exposure)

If a staff member or volunteer is stuck with a needle or exposed to a bloodborne pathogen:

• Call 1-844-296-5159, anytime day or night, and provide details of the incident to a Registered Nurse (RN) via telephone. The RN will advise on first aid care and whether additional medical care is recommended. Information provided is kept private and protected.
• If additional care is recommended, staff should go to the nearest health care facility that carries the appropriate medications and treatments to address their situation.
• Complete RSK-2 incident form (Injury/Near Miss for Employee, Volunteer, Inmate) via the Origami Portal
• See Multnomah County employee 24/7 nurse triage care line for incidents involving potential bloodborne pathogen exposure

Dispose of small sharps container

When small container is ¾ full (Only PIC-trained staff, LSLs, and trained janitorial staff may collect and dispose of sharps):

1. Make sure the lid/top is fully ‘snapped down’ onto the red base
2. ‘Snap’ shut the lid flap
3. Tape the lid and base shut, even when all parts are “snapped” fully closed
4. Place container in a biohazard bag and securely close bag (with tie, rubber band, or tape)
5. Make spare container the active container

At a branch:

1. Email Lib-Facilities to request a pickup; store container in safe spot until transport container arrives
2. Order new “1-qt sharps container w/ biohazard bag” on Library-specific supplies and special orders (“miscellaneous” section)
3. When transport container arrives, put bagged, closed sharps container in transport container
4. Send transport container to OPS/Attn:Lib Facilities

At Central:

1. Put bagged, closed sharps container in transport container which lives on the first floor, south side of the freight elevator - Do not place loose sharps in the transport container.
2. Order new “1-qt sharps container w/ biohazard bag” on Library-specific supplies and special orders (“miscellaneous” section)
3. When transport container is full, send to OPS/Lib Facilities via routine library delivery.  It's helpful to email Lib Facilities in advance so we can arrange for contents to be picked up by the vendor.

Dispose of wall-mounted container

When wall-mounted container is ¾ full (Only PIC-trained staff, LSLs, and trained janitorial staff may collect and dispose of sharps containers):

PIC-trained branch staff, LSLs and Central PICs:

1. Get the key to the enclosure, nitrile gloves, and an empty container
2. Wearing nitrile gloves, unlock enclosure and remove full container
   1. If 'locked' container appears not full, remove from the enclosure. Keeping container upright, jiggle tabs to get flap to unlock. Place an undamaged container back in the enclosure.  Replace any damaged containers.
3. Shut the lid flap on the full container; push on tabs to secure the flap. If flap is missing, cover opening with a piece of cardboard or similar and tape completely closed so nothing may come out of container.
4. Insert empty container
5. Lock enclosure and return key; dispose of gloves
6. Tape the lid and base shut, even when top is “snapped” fully closed
7. Place container in a biohazard bag and securely close bag (with tie, rubber band, or tape).

At a branch:

1. Email Lib-Facilities to request a pickup; store container in safe spot until transport container arrives
2. Order a replacement “5-qt sharps container w/ biohazard bag” (of the correct style) on Library-specific supplies and special orders (“miscellaneous” section)
3. When transport container arrives, put bagged, closed sharps container in transport container
4. Send transport container to OPS/Lib Facilities via Delivery

At Central:

1. Put bagged, closed sharps container in transport container which lives on the first floor, south side of the freight elevator. Do not place loose sharps in the transport container
2. Get a replacement container from your supply, or if you are out of them, order new “5-qt sharps container w/ biohazard bag” on Library-specific supplies and special orders (“miscellaneous” section) and add a comment that you need a "Frost sharps container for Central"
3. When transport container is full, inform a PIC Coordinator who will send the container to:  OPS/Lib Facilities via Delivery

Sharps Transport Container

Library Facilities staff monitor and coordinate the OPS/branch sharps transport container.  The Library Operations Center is the ONLY transshipment point between library locations (including Central) and between Operations and the county vendor who disposes of the sharps in these containers, currently Rapid Response Bio Clean (RRBC). Library Facilities staff check the transport container's contents to make sure things are properly bagged upon arrival at Operations and contact RRBC when needed.  The RRBC pickup process: 

Call: 503-477-8765 OR Email: medwaste@rrbc-inc.com
At this time pick ups are only conducted on Mondays and Thursdays.  

For a Monday pick up, you must contact them by 4:30pm the previous Friday.
For a Thursday pick up, you must contact them by 4:30pm Wednesday.

Policy

Library staff will follow standard procedures when handling sharps (needles) on Library property. This is true both for sharps found on Library property (e.g., buildings, parking lots, grounds, etc.) and sharps regularly generated by staff (e.g., insulin-dependent diabetics). Please do not accept sharps containers from members or the public.  Metro has information about various sharps container disposal options. Additionally, please do not direct people to bring them to the outdoor sharps disposal boxes at BMT, HGT and MID (or elsewhere in the city).  Those containers are not designed or intended for household or business use (See the section about Medical Sharps on the County's Syringe Disposal page).

Rationale

Appropriate disposal of sharps will prevent needle stick injuries.