The Client:
Operating
extensively in the healthcare sector, Sharpsmart Limited employs their
specialised ‘Washsmart System’ to clean and sanitise reusable
‘Sharpsmart’ sharps collectors providing the NHS with improved safety
and environmental impact benefits.
Location:
Spennymoor,
County Durham, U.K.
Project Scope:
Due to the
release of new NHS waste management guidelines (HTM 07-01), Sharpsmart
were required to modify their product for the collection of sharps
contaminated with Cytotoxic/Cytostatic drug residues. Honeyman was
engaged to develop a cleaning validation protocol and analyse swab and
rinse water samples to demonstrate that the ‘Washsmart System’, removes
the residue from the collectors to the desired levels.
Project Duration:
Ongoing
The Project
Sharpsmart’s
integrated approach to sharps management begins and ends with the
delivery of clean collectors to NHS hospitals. Sharpsmart engaged
Honeyman to develop a cleaning validation programme that would
demonstrate the effectiveness of the ‘Washsmart System’s’ cleaning
processes and the overall removal of trace residues of Cytotoxic and/or
Cytostatic drugs from the collectors.
The
fully automated ‘Washsmart System’ comprises a six stage cleaning
process. Engineered to achieve microbial overkill, and utilising
specialist detergents and high wash temperatures the system renders the
collector free of pre-wash contamination and hygienic for reuse, whilst
having a negligible impact on the environment.
This project was focused on the potential chemical contamination of the
collectors as an earlier study had already concluded that the system
effectively removed any traces of pathogenic microorganisms typically
found in hospitals from the collectors.
Following several site ‘familiarisation’ visits and an extensive
literature search to ascertain the maximum permissible levels of Total
Organic Carbon (TOC) within the samples, Honeyman were then able to
establish the protocol and define the most appropriate sampling points
and techniques.
Prior to the commencement of the cleaning validation exercise, Honeyman
delivered an on-site training course covering best-practice swab
sampling techniques which would enable Sharpsmart personnel to carry out
the swab sampling.
Swab sampling of the collectors was executed throughout the cleaning
process, with rinse water samples also being collected from the
‘Washsmart System’. The samples were returned to Honeyman’s MHRA
approved laboratory for TOC analysis, data trending and reporting.
“Throughout the project Honeyman has provided us with an unrivalled
level of expert help and support. It can be difficult to find a
company that can offer such a degree of unbiased knowledge and
experience and I am delighted that Honeyman will be providing us with
on-going analytical support in the future”, said Neil Robinson,
Sharpsmart’s Managing Director.
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