If an accident such as a needlestick occurs, the injured health care worker should immediately:
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If you pierce or puncture your skin with a used needle, follow this first aid advice immediately: You should also seek urgent medical advice as you may need treatment to reduce the risk of getting an infection: Injuries from needles used in medical procedures are sometimes called needle-stick or sharps injuries. Sharps can include other medical supplies, such as syringes, scalpels and lancets, and glass from broken
equipment. Once someone has used a needle, viruses in their blood, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV, may contaminate it. This includes needles used to inject illegal drugs. Blood can also contaminate sharps. The healthcare professional treating you will assess the risks to your health and ask about your injury – for example, how and when it happened, or who had used the needle. Samples of your blood may need to be tested for hepatitis B and C or HIV. Although rare, there's also a small risk of other infections being transmitted through contaminated blood, such as
cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus, which causes glandular fever. Your healthcare professional may also arrange to test samples of the other person's blood if they give their consent. If your healthcare professional
thinks you're at low risk of infection, you may not need any treatment. If there's a higher risk of infection, you may need: If there's a high risk of infection with HIV, your healthcare professional may consider treatment called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Getting supportYour healthcare professional may recommend that you get:
If you injure yourself with a used needle at work, report the incident immediately to your supervisor or manager. Read the answers to more questions about accidents, first aid and treatments. Further information
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last reviewed: 8 July 2021 Bloodborne pathogens are infectious microorganisms in human blood that can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Needlesticks and other sharps-related injuries
may expose workers to bloodborne pathogens. Workers in many occupations, including first responders, housekeeping personnel in some industries, nurses and other healthcare personnel, all may be at risk for exposure to bloodborne pathogens. In order to reduce or eliminate the hazards of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, an employer must implement an exposure control plan for the worksite with details on
employee protection measures. The plan must also describe how an employer will use engineering and work practice controls, personal protective clothing and equipment, employee training, medical surveillance, hepatitis B vaccinations, and other provisions as required by OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030). Engineering controls are the primary means of
eliminating or minimizing employee exposure and include the use of safer medical devices, such as needleless devices, shielded needle devices, and plastic capillary tubes. General GuidanceProvides information on the revised standard. More » EnforcementHighlights directives and letters of interpretation related to bloodborne pathogens and needlestick prevention. More » Hazard RecognitionProvides references that aid in recognizing workplace hazards associated with bloodborne pathogens. More » Evaluating and Controlling ExposureProvides information for evaluating and controlling bloodborne pathogens and needlestick hazards. More » StandardsBloodborne pathogens and needlesticks are addressed in specific OSHA standards for general industry. More » Additional ResourcesProvides links and references to additional resources related to bloodborne pathogens and needlestick prevention. More » What to do if you are stuck by a needle: If you are stuck by a needle or other sharp or get blood or other potentially infectious materials in your eyes, nose, mouth, or on broken skin, immediately flood the exposed area with water and clean any wound with soap and water or a skin disinfectant if available. Report this immediately to your employer and seek immediate medical attention. CDC: Emergency Needlestick Information also provides immediate access to treatment protocols following blood exposures involving HIV, HBV and HCV, including the Clinicians' Post Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline (PEPline) at 1-888-448-4911. |
