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Occupational exposures to blood borne pathogens from needlestick and other sharps (percutaneous) injuries as well as blood and body fluid (non-percutaneous) exposures, are a significant but preventable problem. Injuries from needles and other sharp devices carry the greatest risk of transmission of a blood borne virus - hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). An effective sharps safety program includes several components that must be implemented simultaneously to prevent healthcare workers from sustaining occupational exposures. This includes work practice controls (e.g. care in handling sharp devices), personal protective equipment, educational programs, avoidance of recapping and sharps disposal systems, as well as needles and other sharp devices with an integrated engineered sharps injury prevention feature. The Sharps Safety Program must be underpinned by a process for notification of an occurrence of an occupational exposure to adequately measure the effectiveness of the program.
Phase 1 of the Sharps Safety Program focuses on prevention occupational exposures related to hollow-bore needles. Phase 2 will focus on solid needle (e.g. suture needle) and other sharps (e.g. scalpel blade) devices.
For more information regarding non-percutaneous exposures refer to Section 2: Elements of Infection Control, Standard Precautions, Personal Protective Equipment
Phase 1: Hollow-bore Needle Safety Program
Phase 2: Solid Needle/Other Sharps Safety Program (to be developed)
Other Resources:
Queensland Health Guidelines for Management of Occupational and Non-Occupational Exposures to Blood and Body Fluids
Signal Infection Surveillance Occupational Exposure Investigation
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