Handling and disposal of toxic/hazardous material

Handling and disposal of toxic or hazardous material

Exam category: Patient Care → Handling and Disposal of Toxic or Hazardous Material
Why it matters: To handle a chemical spill or splash correctly, you need to know what the chemical is and where to find its Safety Data Sheet (SDS). The registry tests chemical and chemotherapy hazards and what an SDS contains.

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Overview

Radiology departments use hazardous substances beyond radiation — cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, and sometimes chemotherapy agents. Every hazardous chemical in a facility must have accessible safety documentation, and staff need to know how to find the right information fast.

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1. The material categories

• Chemicals: anything from household cleaning agents to radioactive testing materials. Household bleach alone can cause eye damage or skin burns. Store each one the way its SDS directs: Section 7 covers handling and storage, including what the chemical must not be stored with, and Section 10 covers stability and reactivity: the conditions to avoid and the materials it reacts with.