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Safety Needles & Syringes

EU Directive 2010/52/EU on the prevention of sharps injuries is aimed at employers, requiring them to make appropriate provisions for health care staff in respect of the risk of sharps injuries. It is the employer’s duty to ensure the health and safety of workers. The directive reinforces the need for appropriate levels of training and equipment. A risk assessment must be carried out and where there is a risk of exposure, employers need to identify how exposure can be eliminated. Where exposure cannot be eliminated exposure should be prevented through:

  • Providing sharps disposal equipment as close as possible to where sharps are being used
  • Banning the practice of re-sheathing
  • Implementing safe procedures for using and disposing of sharp medical instruments and contaminated waste
  • Eliminating the unnecessary use of sharps