SHARPS - 1930.12

Although only pertaining to home-generated sharps, beginning in 2008 state law (Section 118286 of the California Health and Safety Code) made it illegal to dispose of those sharps in household trash or recycling containers. Thus, state employees who often must self-inject during work hours, must follow similar requirements at home as those described below. Ultimately, decreasing the number of sharps disposed in standard trash receptacles will help prevent potential health risks to janitorial staff and other waste and recycling workers.

Buildings with full-time state employees (excluding contractors) shall make a sharps container available in at least one of each male and female restroom. The sharps container shall meet the standards and receive approval from the federal Food and Drug Administration as a medical device for use as a sharps container (search for “sharps” in the search box at the following link: Premarket Notification).

Signage near any restroom trash receptacle lacking a nearby sharps container should reference the location of the sharps container(s) that is/are available for employees.

Disposal should be arranged for by the building management and/or by state agency agreement.

For more information on handling sharps: Sharps Waste Disposal