Sharps Safety

• Needles and syringes, or other sharp instruments, should be used only when there is no alternative.
• Plasticware should be substituted for glassware whenever possible.
• Use needleless systems, blunt-ended needles, syringes that re-sheathe the needle, safety scalpels, or other sharps safety devices whenever possible.  For example:
  • The University of Virginia has a list of vendors for safety-engineered sharps devices, including re-sheathing needles and safety scalpels, available at https://www.medicalcenter.virginia.edu/epinet/new/safetydevice.html
  • Mylar-wrapped safety hematocrits are available (Hemato-Clad) from venders such as Fisher
  • safeneedle.org
• Procedure-specific handling and disposal of sharps must be included in your lab’s written Standard Operating Procedures.
• Perform an annual review your lab’s need to use sharps.  Is it possible to modify a procedure so sharps are not needed?
• Note: The need to re-use and/or re-cap needles, along with the method employed, must be documented in your Standard Operating Procedures.  The BMBL does not permit re-capping of needles used in BSL-2 procedures for any reason.

• Needles must not be bent, sheared, broken, recapped, removed from disposable syringes, or otherwise manipulated before disposal.
• Do not pick up broken glass with hands.  Use mechanical means such as a brush and dustpan, tongs, or forceps.

If there is no alternative to re-using a needle/syringe for a specific procedure:

• Avoid re-capping the needle by placing the needle/syringe in a tray or other protective container for transportation or storage between injections.
• If there is no alternative to re-capping the needle:
  • First Choice: use a re-sheathing needle, or an automatic re-sheathing needle.
  • Second Choice: use a simple and inexpensive mechanical device to safely hold caps while re-capping.   Two examples:
    • NeedleSafe II
    • Solo-Cap Needle Recappers
  • Third Choice: if the above re-sheathing or mechanical re-capping devices do not work for an application, for RG1 Agents only:
    • The one-handed scoop method may be used to recap the needle.

      

    • Place the cap on the counter top and “scoop” it up with the needle, keeping your free hand out of the way.
    • Documentation must demonstrate that re-sheathing or mechanical re-capping devices cannot be implemented.

• Needles & Syringes. Sprays or aerosols may be generated if a needle disengages from a syringe.  CDC/NIH guidelines in BMBL states, “Only needle-locking syringes or disposable syringe-needle units (i.e., needle is integral to the syringe) are used for injection or aspiration of infectious material.”
  • Use needle-locking syringes for all needle/syringe applications to prevent exposure to sprays and aerosols.  This includes injections, filtration, transfer of liquids, and loading columns.
  • The use of needle-locking syringes will also prevent the loss of valuable samples.  One cc syringes are now available with needle locks or permanently attached needles.
• Follow these guidelines for preventing aerosol production.

• Promptly dispose of all used sharps into the sharps container.  Do not re-cap used needles; instead place them directly into the sharps container.
• Place broken glass into the broken glass containers.
• Place the sharps containers within easy reach of work stations where sharps are generated.
• Use a size and shape container that will allow the sharp to freely and completely enter the container.
• Never fill containers more than 3/4 full.
• Bring the full sharps container to RNS 341, or contact a Stockroom Manager or the CHO for container removal.
• If you need a new sharps or broken glass container then contact the Stockroom Manager.