Ground staff at University College Hospital in Galway are refusing to handle clinical waste until measures are put in place to ensure their health and safety. With the backing of SIPTU, the eight groundsmen are refusing to handle and dispose of blood products, soiled dressings and syringes.
The hospital's general manager, Ms Bridget Howley, said management considered the safety of staff to be of paramount importance and had a comprehensive policy based on best practice for disposal of clinical waste.
