Safety First Aid Group Laminated Sharps Disposal and Needle Stick Injuries Poster

Product Information

Studies have shown that in the health and social care sector, a combination of training, safer working practices and the use of safer sharp products can prevent the majority of sharps injuries. Providing safer sharps devices The risk control measures identified by the risk assessment should follow the hierarchical approach in the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002: Preventing the risk of exposure Healthcare workers should cover open skin areas or lesions on hands and arms with a dry dressing at all times. Hand hygiene is still essential, so consultation is necessary if the dressing interferes with this procedure. Reviewing the facility’s Exposure Control Plan annually, including the evaluation of SEDs and sharps containers with proven safety Preventing injuries is the most effective way to protect workers. A comprehensive sharps injury prevention program would include:

Your primary duty is to prevent exposure to the risk of a sharps injury. Controlling the risk of exposure The Ontario Hospital Association/Ontario Medical Association (2016) estimate that after an injury in workplace situations from a needle contaminated with hepatitis B virus, there is a 6 to 30% chance that an exposed person will be infected. In a similar situation with HIV, there is about a 0.3% chance of infection, and there is about a 1.8% chance of infection for hepatitis C. The assessment needs to be appropriate for the nature of the work. The more hazardous the work, the more in-depth the assessment should be. For example, procedures that have a higher risk of injury include intra-vascular cannulation, venepuncture and injections and involve the use of devices such as IV cannulae, winged steel-butterfly-needles, needles and syringes and phlebotomy needles. These procedures should have detailed assessments. The use of safety-engineered devices such as protected needle devices, or needle-free systems with self-sealing ports and syringes is encouraged. PHAC states that use of such safety devices is required by some jurisdictions. Using these devices must take into consideration both the safety of the health care worker and the patient. All hollow-bore needles including those with safety features must be disposed of into an approved sharps disposal container that complies with AS4031 or AS/NZS4261

Needle-stick injuries

When introducing retractable syringes keep in mind that they may not be suitable for some purposes, and therefore some non-safety devices may be required for specific purposes, for example: If the child does not fulfil any of the above criteria and has not received a booster tetanus vaccine within the last 5 years, give tetanus vaccine only. Where adequate control of exposure cannot be achieved by other means, provision of suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) in addition to the measures required by (a) and (b) above.

Surveillance programs that provide in-depth analysis of accidents are an important tool for obtaining information. The goals of these programs should include: Papenburg J, Blais D, Moore D, Al-Hosni M, Laferrie`re C, Tapiero B, et al. Pediatric Injuries From Needles Discarded in the Community: Epidemiology and Risk of Seroconversion. PEDIATRICS. 2008;122(2):e487–e92. These guidelines have been produced to guide clinical decision making for the medical, nursing and allied health staff of Perth Children’s Hospital. They are not strict protocols, and they do not replace the judgement of a senior clinician. Clinical common-sense should be applied at all times. These clinical guidelines should never be relied on as a substitute for proper assessment with respect to the particular circumstances of each case and the needs of each patient. Clinicians should also consider the local skill level available and their local area policies before following any guideline. HSE has produced Health Services Information Sheet 7 - Health and Safety (Sharps Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 to provide guidance on how to comply with the Regulations. the patient may self-administer as normal provided they can remove and dispose of their pen needle.Equipment design, nature of the procedure, condition of work, staff experience, recapping, and disposal have all been mentioned as factors that influence these occurrences. Sharps bins should not be left unattended in areas where non-healthcare workers (especially children) can access them. and if the medicine is dose specific (e.g. High concentration insulin (e.g.Toujeo), exenatide (Byetta), liraglutide (Victoza)), the medical officer must be informed and an alternate medication SHOULD BE sourced. Review the use of SEDs and work towards the target of SEDs being used in no less than 98% of all hollow-bore needle procedures.