There are a relatively small number of commercial manufacturers of community sharps disposal bins in NSW and other states, supplying units ranging from small wall-mounted single syringe bins suitable for public toilets and restrooms to 240 litre bins which house a wheelie bin for collection of sharps and are suitable for disposal of larger sharps containers. These units may vary considerably in strength and durability so a comparison of product specifications is recommended prior to purchase.
While there are no legislative requirements for the design of outer housings for community sharps bins in NSW, there are a number of design criteria that should be considered when comparing community sharps bins in order to satisfy duty of care and WHS obligations.
Community sharps bins for the disposal of sharps in containers should be:
All community sharps bin access points for servicing or maintenance must be kept secured and inaccessible other than by key.
The frequency of servicing should be flexible to account for the needs of the location, but should not be less than once per fortnight, even if numbers are low, as bins should be monitored. Failure to regularly empty or maintain bins may attract liability for the bin owner if a member of the public sustains a needle stick injury.
The location needs to be safe and accessible while offering some discretion.
Lighting should be adequate and there should be no violet lights.