You need to know how to properly tie a biohazard bag after it is full. Having a properly sealed bag is one of the regulatory requirements for packaging your medical waste for shipment. Believe it or not, there’s a right way, and a wrong way to tie a medical waste bag once its full. The right way will mean that your bag will be less likely to leak if turned upside down.
At MERI, we’ve tested several knots. The two best methods are either to use an overhand knot or to use a gooseneck knot secured with either a plastic tie or duck tape.
Watch this video demonstration about how to properly tie an overhand or gooseneck knot once your regulated medical waste bag is full.
Or, follow these steps:
How Properly Tie a Biohazard Bag Using An Overhand Knot
Step 1 Overhand Knot: Gather, Twist End 8″-10″
Step 2 Overhand Knot: Overhand Knot: Make Loop With the Twisted End
Step 3 Overhand Knot: Loop the End Through to Create a Knot
How Properly Tie a Biohazard Bag Using A Gooseneck Knot
Gooseneck Step 1: Gather, Twist End 8″-10″
Gooseneck Step 2: Make Loop With the Twisted End
Gooseneck Step 3: Seal Tightly With Either Duck Tape or Plastic Tie
Don’t tie your regulated medical waste bag in a bunny ear fashion, like this:
Tying a bag in rabbit ears is not acceptable, because, if turned upside down, your bag will likely leak.
Make sure the container lid is securely fastened once your red biohazard bag is tied inside the medical waste transport container. On that note, you’ll make our MERI medical waste drivers’ day if they see our container properly closed like this on your collection day:
Instead of seeing the lid not secured, or the biohazard bag full but not tied:
Finally, one last ask. Make sure that you don’t have any loose sharps in your biohazard bag or medical waste transport container. All sharps belong in a puncture-resistant red sharps box before going into the medical waste container. Sharps include needles, syringes, broken glass, scalpels, Capillary tubes, culture slides, broken rigid plastic and exposed wires.
Want to share this info with others? Feel free to download this handy Poster: Properly Package Medical Waste For Shipment You may even want to place it by where your medical waste transport containers are located for easy reference. Our poster highlights the three simple steps folks need to follow for properly packing your medical waste for disposal.
As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us at 608-257-7652 or CONTACT US