Checklist For Hospital Waste Management | FREE PDF

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Checklist for hospital waste management

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Use this template with Lumiform

Customize this template or build your own
Fill out templates via mobile app
Get reports and analyse your data

Prices start from ░░░ per month

Book a demo

Learn more

Our hospital waste management checklist template helps you implement a comprehensive system for tracking, segregating, and properly disposing of all types of healthcare waste. This digital tool guides your staff through the entire waste management process—from initial waste generation to final disposal—ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and minimizing health risks.

For example, when a hospital department struggles with proper sharps disposal, this checklist provides specific verification points to ensure containment, labeling, and safe handling procedures are followed. According to the World Health Organization, about 15% of healthcare waste is hazardous or biohazardous, requiring special handling procedures to prevent contamination and injury.

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Preview of the template

Hospital Waste Management Compliance (disposal and environmental protection)

Does site have a written management plan (to show the observer) for nonhazardous general waste, liquid medical waste, and solid medical waste?

Does site have clearly assigned staff responsibilities that cover all steps in the waste management process?

Does site have appropriate and adequate supplies and equipment for infection prevention and waste management (see infection prevention guide), including decontaminants, containers, and protective clothing?

Does site have and use infection prevention job aids and medical waste management protocols or curricula from USAID, EngenderHealth, WHO, etc.?

Sorting: Are there internal rules for appropriate separation of waste by type at the place where it is generated (e.g., needles and sharps disposed of in special sharps containers, such as covered leak-proof, puncture-proof cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, or tin cans)?

Handling: Is there appropriate collection and transportation of medical waste within the facility (e.g., handling medical waste as little as possible before temporary storage and disposal; removing and emptying waste containers from operating, procedure, and sluice rooms before completely full, at least once a day; Observing good hygiene; and wearing protective clothing)?

Interim storage: Is medical waste appropriately and temporarily stored safely, packaged, and labeled within the facility (e.g., always for less than 24 hours, before disposal; stored in a designated, closed-off area that is minimally accessible to staff, visitors, and food; correct response for spills, injury, exposure is followed)

Final disposal, general: Are solid medical waste, liquid medical waste, sharps, and hazardous chemical waste from the health facility eliminated appropriately (e.g., all solid and liquid waste and contaminated waste disposed of away from the community; never stored in open container; never thrown onto an open pile)?

Final disposal of solid waste: Is solid waste disposed of appropriately (e.g., at the facility, if possible, under the supervision of staff who understand the risks, by burning or burying, or by transporting it to an off-site disposal site).

Burning: If final disposal of solid waste is by burning, functional burning in a drumor brick incinerator is best. Less optimal would be open burning, in a small designated area far from the premises. If wet, waste should be doused with kerosene first before starting the fire.

Burying: If final disposal of solid waste is by burying, is this done safely (e.g., at a designated, fenced, or walled-off space in view of the facility, with a pit large enough for all the solid medical waste generated at the site, to prevent scavenging and accidental injury)? Does the pit have an impermeable plastic or clay lining? Is the burial pit at least 50 m away from any water source, to prevent contamination? Does the site have proper drainage? Is it located downhill from any wells, free of standing water, in an area that does not flood? Is the bottom of the pit 2 meters above the water table? (Consult local water engineer/water authority about the location of the water table.) Is waste covered with 10–30 cm of soil?

If final disposal is off-site, are precautions taken to ensure that waste is transported and disposed of safely?

Completion

Additional observations and comment on infection prevention and waste storage/disposal:

Name & Signature of Assigned Personnel

Frequently asked questions

What specific waste categories does this hospital waste management checklist cover?

This checklist covers all major healthcare waste categories including general waste, infectious waste, sharps, pharmaceutical waste, chemical waste, radioactive waste, pathological waste, and pressurized containers. Each section includes specific verification points for proper segregation, containment, labeling, storage, and disposal requirements unique to that waste stream.

Can I customize this hospital waste management checklist for my facility’s specific needs?

Yes, the Lumiform platform allows you to easily adapt this checklist to your facility’s unique requirements. You can add department-specific sections, include references to local regulations, adjust scoring criteria, and incorporate your internal policies while maintaining the core structure that ensures comprehensive waste management oversight.

How often should our hospital conduct waste management audits using this checklist?

Most hospitals benefit from conducting comprehensive waste audits quarterly, with more frequent spot checks in high-risk areas like operating rooms or laboratories. The checklist includes date tracking features that help you establish and maintain a consistent inspection schedule tailored to your facility’s waste volume and complexity.

This template, developed by Lumiform employees, serves as a starting point for businesses using the Lumiform platform and is intended as a hypothetical example only. It does not replace professional advice. Companies should consult qualified professionals to assess the suitability and legality of using this template in their specific workplace or jurisdiction. Lumiform is not liable for any errors or omissions in this template or for any actions taken based on its content.