January 27, 2020 As some of you may have noticed, there are small red biohazard sharps boxes in some of the restrooms on the first floor of our campus buildings. These boxes have been placed for the use of students, employees, and guests who may have medical reasons to inject themselves and who have for one reason or another neglected to bring a personal sharps container with them. The decision to make these boxes available was a result of a discussion with the Student Health Clinic, Faculty Staff Clinic, Risk Management, and the EHS Committee. The purpose is to avoid needlesticks to our custodial staff and others as a result of individuals placing needles in the regular trash. Custodians and plumbers have reported finding needles both in the regular trash and in the toilet during the past year and this poses a health risk to UAH employees. I have made a list of the non-residential buildings' first floor bathrooms (male/female/gender neutral) where the sharps boxes will be located. The OEHS staff is in the process of installing them so they are not all present at this time. Once they are full, Custodial Services will remove and replace the box.
