Sharps Safety & Needlestick Prevention

The risk of needle sticks is a constant one for members of the health care industry as well as people with type I diabetes and nonhealthcare employees who work around needles such as tailors or tattoo artists. Being stuck by a needle is one of the causes of the spread of blood-borne pathogens. Properly handling and disposing of sharps and other needles will prevent needle stick and help to curb the spread of blood-borne pathogens.

Sharps Container

• A sharps container is a plastic container used for disposing of sharps materials. The containers have lids that can be sealed to prevent the needles and other sharps inside from falling out or being removed. Some containers can be mounted to a wall. Many sharps containers sold in America are red and marked with warning labels under guidelines set out by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Sharps Logs

• Records of sharps-related injuries are not required by any regulatory body. However, keeping a sharps log can help increase awareness of the behaviors that contribute to sharps-related injuries. Learning from mistakes can greatly reduce the frequency of those mistakes.

Use Tools

• Limiting your exposure to these razors or needles can reduce your chances of being cut or stuck by them. Picking up needles and razors with tools and wearing gloves rather than touching them with bare hands can help limit your chances of injury.