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Infection Prevention, and Control Guidelines for Primary Care Physicians

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Handling and Disposal of Sharps

Introduction:

The Family Health Teams are committed to safe disposal of all sharps and the ongoing evaluation of newly engineered products that will reduce staff exposure to sharps.
Parenteral or percutaneous exposure to a needle or other sharp instrument contaminated with blood or body fluids can lead to serious or fatal infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C Virus or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Best Practices:

Handling Sharps:

• Use devices with safety features when possible
• The user must immediately discard all used needles/sharps directly into biohazard container
• DO NOT RECAP NEEDLES
• Do not bend or break needles from syringes
• Place entire sharp in biohazard container
• The user must remove all needles and sharps from procedural trays and tables, place in puncture resistant container at site of use
• Do not leave sharps in linen, on shelves, on trays, or in garbage bags
• Keep biohazard containers close to the source of contaminated sharps
• DO NOT OVERFILL CONTAINERS
• To reduce sharps exposure injury, staff should not carry garbage or linen bags close to the body
• If injury occurs with a contaminated sharp, the employee must follow the facility policy and procedure regarding exposure to blood and body fluids.  Employees can refer to the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit’s guidance document titled “Guidelines for the Management of Blood Borne Pathogens” found at www.healthunit.org/professionals

Sharps (Biohazard) Containers:

• Sharps shall be placed into a puncture-resistant, leak proof container dedicated specifically for that purpose. The sharps container shall have a lid which can not be removed once it has been permanently closed.
• The sharps container must be marked with the universal biohazard symbol
• Seal, lock and replace sharps containers when indicated by full line
• Place locked and used sharps container in designated area

References:

Canadian National Occupational Health & Safety Resource.  Needlestick Injury.

Ontario Safety Association for Community & Healthcare

Ministry of the Environment (1994), The Management of Biomedical Waste in Ontario,

Public Health Agency of Canada (1997) Preventing the Transmission of  Bloodborne Pathogens in Health Care and Public Services Settings