Medical office passes waste-disposal inspection

Fri., July 9, 2004

Carla K. Johnson Staff writer

Spokane Regional Health District has closed its investigation at a North Side medical office building where a janitor complained about medical waste disposal practices.

The janitor had documented her complaint with photos of what appeared to be blood-stained medical waste in the regular trash.

The agency conducted a surprise inspection of the Holy Family Medical Building, including a check on the building’s trash bin, on Wednesday.

“Everything is in good order,” said Mike LaScuola, environmental health specialist with the health district. The agency is responsible for enforcing Spokane County standards on waste disposal.

The janitor’s complaint may have “sent a shock wave” and reminded building employees about proper medical waste disposal, LaScuola said.

In May, Corrie Amsden, then a janitor for American Building Maintenance Co., complained that several clinics in the building were leaving blood-stained waste in regular trash containers. Amsden also went to the news media with her story.

The county requires biomedical waste to be disposed of in labeled, closed bags in containers that are inaccessible to vermin. LaScuola said the medical building has switched to trash bags that allow the contents to be seen easily.

When she heard about the agency’s inspection, Amsden said, “I think we accomplished what we set out to do, which was find solutions.”

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries is still conducting a worker safety investigation of the same janitor’s complaint. Amsden claims she had improper training for dealing with medical waste.

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