Handling Disposable Needles and Syringes

1. Use extreme caution when handling needles and syringes. Use needle-locking syringes or disposable syringeneedle units (i.e. the needle is integral to the syringe) whenever possible. Avoid autoinoculation and aerosol generation during use and disposal.
2. Contaminated needles must not be sheared, bent, recapped or removed unless the supervisor can demonstrate that no alternative is feasible or that such action is required by a specific medical procedure. The one hand scoop method with the hand holding the sharp is used to scoop up the cap from a flat surface. (Keep one hand behind your back).
3. All needles and syringes shall be discarded promptly in a needle disposal sharps container after use.

Reusable Sharps

Contaminated reusable sharps must be placed in special containers as soon as possible after use and stored or processed in a way that does not require employees to reach into the reprocessing container by hand and risk a needlestick or other injury.Unlike disposable sharps that are immediately discarded within a leak-proof puncture-resistant container after use, procedures involving reusable sharps (such as large bore needles, razor blades, scalpels and fine tip forceps) may present additional opportunities for needlestick or other injuries. Employees may face potential exposure to contaminated reusable sharps during collection, transport, decontamination, or while removing or changing blades.

The following precautions will help minimize your risk of percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharps.

• Don’t change scalpel blades by hand. Use a forceps, hemostat or safety device and keep your hands away from the blade.
• Place a leakproof puncture-resistant tray that contains a suitable disinfectant (such as 10% household bleach) in the immediate work area. Label the collection tray with the biohazard symbol label. Reusable sharps may also be autoclaved.
• Place reusable sharps in the collection tray immediately following use. Lay sharps in the same direction within the collection tray.
• Allow a sufficient contact time for disinfection (at least 20 minutes). If items are covered with debris, wipe clean with a small bristle brush, keeping your hands away from the blade. Decontaminate the brush after use.
• After decontamination, remove reusable sharps from the container with tongs or forceps. If bleach is used as a disinfectant, rinse items with ethanol or water to remove any corrosive residues.
• Substitute plastic for glass wherever feasible.

Waste

• Label as biohazard
• Dispose correctly
• Use licenced company

Linens

• Wear gloves
• Place in impervious container if linen is to be transported
• Label appropriately

Spills

• Put on gloves
• Wipe up with towel
• Dispose of contaminated towel
• Apply bleach solution