Hospitals are probably the last place you would expect to see a hazmat response. In fact, most hazmat incidents end at a hospital as the injured or contaminated person is driven frantically to the emergency room.
Unfortunately, these respites or places of refuge are prone to the ill-effects of biohazards as these facilities typically contain a host of dangerous, yet necessary workplace chemicals. Despite treating scores of sick people, hospitals also pose risks that are also detrimental to workplace safety and the health of patients.
Hazmat response could’ve been prevented with fire rated storage protection
A hospital in La Grange, Illinois was recently reminded of the cruel paradox that exists between taking care of the ill and exposing harmful toxins to the very people it’s trying to protect. Out of abundance of caution, firefighters and rescue personnel were called to the scene of Amita Health Adventists Medical Center following reports of a mercury spill.
Despite the over-zealous response of hazmat crews cladded in what appeared to be oversized spacesuits, the “all-clear” signal came through a short while later and no injuries as the result of contamination were reported.
Storage lockers can quarantine dangerous chemicals
Medical facilities sit at a unique juxtaposition in modern society. They are designed to help and project afflicted individuals, but sometimes the medicine is worse than the cure as many facilities contain chemicals and decontaminants that are harmful to the general population. Since hospitals are also breeding grounds for highly contagious bacteria and viruses, industrial strength sterilants and disinfectants must be kept on hand to sanitize surfaces and neutralize harmful bioagents. Formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide and Peracetic acids are just a few hazardous chemicals that can be found at any hospital.
Chemical storage lockers can contain medicines, ionizing radiation
Nuclear medicine and other ancillary chemicals used in radiology and lab departments are also common hazards that can be found in any hospital. While ionizing radiation is an unfortunate side-effect of this common hospital chemical, it poses as an extreme detriment to the health of hospital staff and patients.
Accidental exposure to these chemicals can not only result in unnecessary illness or even death, but such incidents can also lead to litigation and civil penalties that can cut through a hospital’s razor thin margins. Smaller, rural hospitals are particularly prone to this paradox of health and liability. Nearly one-third of all smaller American hospitals are on the brink of closing due to declining populations and the number of individuals covered by government sponsored plans increasing with no steady stream of direct reimbursement in place.
U.S. Hazmat storage lockers can prevent lawsuits, civil penalties
This economic reality is vexing as hospitals are typically the drivers of most communities. It’s not an exaggeration or an overhype of the extrapolated data at hand to suggest that just one hazardous material incident at your local hospital can jeopardize the economy of the entire community. As the director a hospital’s maintenance department or the CEO can you comfortably live with this reality without a plan in place?
Fire-rated protection also yields safe storage of drugs
At U.S. Hazmat Rentals, we have a solution to this common worst-case scenario. Our two-hour and four-hour fire rate storage lockers can be smoothly implemented into any workflow, including hospitals, while offering superior protection from dangerous chemicals. These steel-welded climate-controlled units can isolate and quarantine dangerous disinfectants and iodizing materials so the potential damage from spill and leaks are properly mitigated. In addition to hazardous chemicals, these units could also be used to store dangerous and highly addictive prescription drugs. With the opioid problem in America reaching epidemic proportions, hospitals and medical facilities are quickly emerging as ground zero in combating this rampant drug problem.
Renting vs owning
Perhaps you don’t need a permanent storage solution? Some workflow processes merely require a temporary storage solution. The changing nature and demands of the medical field might also necessitate a short-term solution as opposed to a permanent storage fixture. Contact us today for a free quote and consultation.
