Best practices for preventing sharps and needlestick injuries include:
- Plan safe handling and disposal before any procedure.
- Use safe and effective needle alternatives when available, e.g., Sharps with Engineered Sharps Injury Protection (SESIPs).
- Always activate the device’s safety features. Do not pass used sharps between workers.
- Do not recap, shear, or break contaminated needles.
- Immediately dispose of contaminated needles in properly secured, puncture-resistant, closable, leak-proof, labeled sharps containers.
- Complete Bloodborne Pathogens training.
More information is available at the NIOSH and NYSDOH websites listed below. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) guidelines – available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/bbp/#prevent
NYSDOH recommendations “Household Sharps-Dispose of Them Safely”, available at http://www.health.state.ny.us/publications/0909.pdf
Healthcare Worker Rights include:
- Working conditions that do not pose a risk of serious harm.
- Information and training about workplace hazards, methods to prevent them, and the OSHA standards that apply to their workplace.
- Review records of work-related injuries and illnesses
- Freedom to file a confidential complaint asking OSHA to inspect their workplace if they believe there is a serious hazard or that their employer is not following OSHA’s rules.
- Exercise rights under the law without retaliation, including reporting an injury or raising health and safety concerns with their employer or OSHA.
- Workers should report to OSHA claims of retaliation for exercising workers' rights as soon as possible but no later than 30 days.
Visit www.osha.gov or call OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA for more information
