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In the United States, approximately 800,000 needle stick injuries or more occur in hospitals annually—an average of one injury every 10 seconds, however with more people being discharged earlier and more care being given in the home, the prevalence of needle stick injuries overall has increased. Studies have shown that many of these injuries occur after a sharp (needle or other sharp object) is used; as many as one-third of all sharps injuries have been reported to have occurred during disposal activities. No single container type meets the disposal containment needs for every setting however we can assist you to identify which style and size of sharps disposal containers might decrease the risk of percutaneous sharps injury.
Although engineering controls such as needleless IV systems and "safety" needles will reduce injuries, proper selection and use of sharps disposal containers are still important. The safety performance criteria for sharps disposal containers are divided into four areas:
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Containers should remain functional during their entire use. They should be durable, leak resistant, and puncture resistant under all normal environmental conditions. |
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Containers must be accessible to workers who use, maintain, or dispose of sharp devices. This criterion includes sufficient number, sufficient container volume, and safe access to the disposal opening on individual containers. Other important factors include convenient placement and (if necessary) portability of containers within the workplace.
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Containers should be visible to the workers who must use them. Container fill status and warning labels are also important visibility criteria.
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Container designs should accommodate the user, the location of care and the environment.
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