Signs, Labels & Color Coding

Warning labels need to be affixed to containers of regulated waste, refrigerators and freezers containing blood or other potentially infectious material; and other containers used to store, transport, or ship blood or other potentially infectious materials. These labels are fluorescent orange, red, or orange-red, and they are available from EHS. Bags used to dispose of regulated waste must be red or orange red, and they, too, must have the biohazard symbol readily visible upon them. Regulated waste should be double-bagged to guard against the possibility of leakage if the first bag is punctured.

Labels should display this universal biohazard symbol.

Regulated waste refers to

• Any liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious materials
• Contaminated items that would release blood or other potentially infectious materials in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed
• Items that are caked with dried blood or other potentially infectious materials and are capable of releasing these materials during handling
• Contaminated sharps
• Pathological and microbiological wastes containing blood or other potentially infectious materials

All regulated waste must be disposed in properly labeled containers or red biohazard bags. These must be disposed at an approved facility. Most departments or facilities that generate regulated waste will have some sort of contract with an outside disposal company that will come pick up their waste and take it to an approved incineration/disposal facility.

Non-regulated waste (ie. does not fit the definition of regulated waste provided above) that is not generated by a medical facility such as the Student Health Center, Wellness Center, or human health-related research laboratory may be disposed in regular plastic trash bags if it has been decontaminated or autoclaved prior to disposal.

However, all bags containing such materials must be labeled, signed, and dated, verifying that the materials inside have been decontaminated according to acceptable procedures and pose no health threat. Pre-printed labels designed for this purpose are available from EHS, and they must be placed on the bag so that they are readily visible.

Custodians and housekeepers will not remove bags containing any form of blood (human or animal), vials containing blood, bloody towels, rags, biohazardous waste, etc. from laboratories unless the bag has one of these labels on it. They have been given very strict instructions not to handle any non-regulated waste unless it has been properly marked and labeled (including signature).

Custodians will not handle regulated waste.

For more information on this as it pertains to laboratories, check out the section on Treated Biomedical Waste in OSU's Lab Safety Manual.

 Diseases

 Modes of Transmission

 PPE & Other Controls

 Signs & Labels

 Emergencies

 Vaccinations

 Quiz

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Reviewed December 2007