After class I continued thinking about potential problems. While we were contemplating which design to use, we considered a water bottle. That idea was the simplest, but the blades might cut through the plastic and could potentially create a problem
during transportation.
Solution: use a tin can:
I used my screwdriver to puncture a slit in the top of the can. I made the slit 1 inch long and ¼ inch thin, in order to accommodate the sharps if you insert them long-ways. I poured out the broth and removed the label:
Note: I had originally tried this concept with a can of green beans, but after I made the slit in the top I realized there was no way to get the green beans out. I needed a liquid, and a quick trip to CVS yielded broth. Note: I ate the green beans.
Another necessity was the ability to securely cover any opening. Solution: duct tape-covered cardboard. We measured cardboard to fit the top, covered it with duct tape for durability and aesthetics, and added two pieces of Velcro to adhere the "lid" to the can:
A printed label with a bold warning symbol clearly states the purpose of the container:
We needed to mount the container to the wall. Solution: more Velcro! We used a strip height-wise on the can and a corresponding strip on the lab wall right next to the door:
We were initially concerned that the Velcro wouldn't sufficiently hold under the pressure and movement of removing and replacing the lid, but vigorous testing proved the Velcro reliable.
Our design yielded a durable, safe, and compact container that can securely store and transport sharps.
I love this sharps container -- it looks like a final product that I can buy off the shelf! I think your group made a wise decision in selecting materials. In my opinion, not only is the metal can more durable than cardboard, but it also gives a sense of reassurance to users that the container will stay intact over time (whereas taped cardboard boxes may come apart with time). One question I have, though, is how sturdy the lid is -- is there a way to keep the lid permanently secured to the container?
ReplyDeleteI found a plastic cover that would work; you can see it on my blog post Sharps Container #3:
ReplyDeletehttp://ktingle-extd120.blogspot.com/2013/09/sharps-container-3.html
We originally tried attaching a cardboard flap that had one end taped on to the top at all times, but it was flimsy, so we stuck (ha!) to Velcro.
This one is great! This very natural and somehow it can also save up money, isn't it? Yes!, it's very important to dispose our sharp objects in a sharps container to avoid to avoid injury and spreading of infections that can cause serious health conditions where in most common infections are Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), we must dispose our sharp objects properly.
ReplyDeleteImpact Hygiene - Sharps
[url]http://impacthygiene.com.au/sharps-disposal/[/url]