HOUSTON, June 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sharps Compliance Corp. (Nasdaq: SMED), a nationwide provider of management services for medical, pharmaceutical, and hazardous wastes, has released the Hazardous Drug Spill Control Kit™, a USP <800> complaint spill kit for the cleanup of chemotherapy and other hazardous drug (HD) spills.

The United States Pharmacopeia (“USP”) published General Chapter <800> (“USP <800>”) in February 2016  “to describe practice and quality standards for handling hazardous drugs in healthcare settings and help promote patient safety, worker safety, and environmental protection.” These guidelines will be implemented on December 1, 2019.

USP <800> requires spill kits to contain “all of the materials needed to clean HD spills and be readily available in all areas where HDs are routinely handled.”  These new standards apply to “all workers, patients, and the general public who may be accessing facilities where HDs are prepared” and “who receive, prepare, administer, transport, or otherwise come in contact with hazardous drugs and all the environments in which they are handled.”  Impacted industries include the following:

  • Hospitals
  • Compound and retail pharmacies
  • Infusion suites
  • Home infusion companies
  • Oncology offices
  • Veterinarian offices
  • Companies involved in the transportation of HDs 

The Sharps Compliance Hazardous Drug Spill Control Kit ™ is an all-in-one solution for cleaning up hazardous drug spills. This base-level kit contains the minimum components required by USP <800> to clean up an HD spill: absorbent powder, absorbent pad, chemosorb pad, scraper/scooper, antiseptic towel, safety goggles, N95 respirator mask, shoe covers, hair and beard cover, hazardous drug exposure form, chemo-bio wipe, hazardous waste chemo drug liner,  gown and gloves, hazardous waste summary sheet, caution sign, and instructions for use.

USP discusses the public health need to reduce the risk of exposure to HDs as follows:

“The need to help ensure a quality environment and to protect healthcare personnel from hazardous drugs has been a topic of concern for decades. Growing evidence highlights that acute and chronic health effects can occur due to occupational exposure to over 200 hazardous drugs used commonly in healthcare settings. …USP [has] developed standards for handling these hazardous drugs to minimize the risk to public health. The goals of these standards are to help increase awareness, provide uniform guidance to reduce the risk of managing hazardous drugs, and help reduce the risk posed to patients and the healthcare workforce.”

David P. Tusa, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sharps Compliance, said, “At Sharps Compliance, we pride ourselves on helping healthcare providers solve problems, protect employees and patients, as well as meet new regulations. As a leader in the medical, hazardous, and pharmaceutical waste management markets, we are very excited about the release of our new USP <800>-compliant spill kit, the Hazardous Drug Spill Control Kit. It not only meets the stringent requirements of USP <800> but also is designed to protect the people that handle and manipulate hazardous drugs in the healthcare environment.”

To order the new HD Spill Control Kit, please call Sharps Compliance at (800) 772-5657 and ask for item numbers 50080 and 50081. Customers may also order the new spill kit from the Company’s website at https://www.sharpsinc.com/store/hazardous-drug-spill-control-kit.

With 25 years of experience, Sharps Compliance is a trusted leader in medical, hazardous, and pharmaceutical waste management services. The Company’s hazardous waste pickup service has expanded in recent years. Sharps works closely with clients to develop waste profiles and management plans to cost-effectively store, transport, and treat hazardous waste.

About Sharps Compliance Corp.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Sharps Compliance is a leading full-service national provider of comprehensive waste management services, including medical, pharmaceutical, and hazardous. Its key markets include healthcare facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers, home healthcare providers, assisted living/long-term care, surgery centers, retail pharmacies and clinics, and the professional market, which comprises physicians, dentists, and veterinary practices.

More information on Sharps Compliance and its products can be found on its website at www.sharpsinc.com.

For more information, contact:
Linda Brock      
Sharps Compliance Corp.
Vice President of Sales
Phone: (832) 839-7378
Email: lbrock@sharpsinc.com           

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2f8a6e56-2239-4ed2-b02e-76ee27aa8217.

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