When handling sharps, prioritizing safety is crucial to prevent injuries and infections.
Here’s a breakdown of the essential safety precautions, incorporating information from the provided reference:
Key Safety Precautions for Handling Sharps
The following precautions are critical when handling sharps:
- Minimize Hand-to-Hand Transfer: Do not pass sharps from hand to hand and keep handling to a minimum.
- Avoid Recapping, Bending, or Breaking: Do not recap, bend or break needles before disposal.
- Utilize Sharps Containers: Sharps containers should be available at the point of use, ie where the sharp is used. Always use a sharps tray with an integrated sharps container.
- Never Carry Sharps Unprotected: Do not carry sharps in the hand.
Here’s a more detailed look at each of these precautions:
Safe Handling Practices
| Precaution | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Minimize Handling | Reduce the amount of time and the number of people involved in handling sharps to decrease the risk of accidental injury. | After using a needle, immediately place it in a sharps container instead of leaving it on a surface. |
| Avoid Recapping | Recapping needles is a major cause of needlestick injuries. Modern safety needles often have mechanisms to shield the needle after use. If recapping is unavoidable (though generally discouraged), use a single-handed technique. | Using a safety syringe with a retractable needle. |
| No Bending or Breaking | Bending or breaking needles before disposal can cause them to become airborne or create unpredictable movement, increasing the risk of injury. | Disposing of a used scalpel blade directly into a sharps container without attempting to bend or break it. |
| Immediate Disposal | Dispose of sharps immediately after use in designated sharps containers. These containers are designed to prevent punctures and leaks. | Placing a used lancet for blood glucose monitoring directly into a portable sharps container kept at the point of use. |
| Proper Container Use | Ensure sharps containers are readily available, easily accessible, and not overfilled. Replace containers when they are approximately 2/3 full to prevent accidental needle sticks. | Placing sharps container in areas where needles and blades are being used to ensure immediate disposal. |
| Training and Education | Provide comprehensive training on proper sharps handling techniques, including the risks of sharps injuries and the steps to take in case of an incident. | Conducting regular training sessions for healthcare workers on the safe use and disposal of sharps. |
By following these precautions, you can significantly reduce the risk of injury when handling sharps.
