Sharps Safety

The best way to avoid needlestick and other sharps injuries is to avoid using a sharps device when it is not necessary. The next best way is to use tools to minimize the hazard, such as a safety-engineered device or a needle-syringe holder. 

First, identify all sharps devices used in your procedures, then consider the following:

Eliminate sharps

Consider ways to perform the task without a sharps device. Can the same function be performed without a needle or sharp?

Examples:

• Eliminate glass by choosing plastic when possible.
• Use a pipet or similar device to homogenize or mix a solution (rather than using a needle for this purpose)

Additional suggestions for eliminating sharps are provided in the Recommendations sections below.

Substitute sharps

 It is estimated that 62-88% of injuries can be avoided through the use of safer devices. Consider selecting a safer device that will accomplish the same result while also lowering your risk of injury.

Examples:

• Use sharp tissue scissors to cut tissue rather than a razor blade for more control.
• Use a plastic gel cutter instead of a razor blade to cut electrophoresis gels.
• Use a blunt needle in place of a sharply pointed one.
• Safety-engineered devices for needles, syringes, scalpels, blood-draw vacutainer devices, and more can be used in place of the same items without a safety feature. For example, the BD vacutainer blood collection device shown below.
• Luer-lock syringes are highly recommended, to securely screw the needle onto the syringe (vs standard ‘slip tip’ that allows a needle to push onto the end of a syringe).

Additional suggestions for substituting sharps are provided in the Recommendations sections below.

Environmental Health & Safety can recommend safer sharps devices that align with your procedures and desired result.

Consult with your supervisor to determine the required and recommended training you must complete prior to beginning work. This includes practicing with less hazardous materials to develop proficiency.

Training may include:

• Animal Use Training
• Biosafety training
• Bloodborne Pathogens training
• Other safety training for laboratory personnel

• Avoid recapping needles. Use a needle holder to recap a syringe only if necessary, for example when giving dental anesthetic with multiple injections.
• Dispose of uncapped needles immediately after use. Never leave an uncapped needle laying loose on a work surface.
• Use a tool such as a forceps to remove a needle from a syringe, if removal is necessary.
• Point the needle away from yourself and others.
• Keep visual contact with the needle at all times while uncapped.

EH&S recommends using an OSHA-compliant one-handed needle recapper, such as the NeedleSafe II® or NeRd® needle recapper.

Watch a video of the NeedleSafe II needle uncapper/recapper and syringe holder.

Delasco Recapper and Syringe Holder

Never fill a sharps container more than two-thirds full.

Image source: Princeton University counties

Image source: Outagamie and Winnebago

Overfilling a sharps container presents hazards to those using it, and to those collecting the containers for disposal.

For procedures such as cleaning wells of acrylamide gels, pipetting, transferring reagents or filling certain cassettes, using something other than a needle may be possible. Fine tip micropipette tips or transfer pipets may achieve the same results.

Here are some examples of fine tip pipet options:

• Fine tip micropipette tips
• Fine tip transfer pipets

Instead of using a razor blade to cut electrophoresis gels or excise bands from gels, try a plastic cutter or excision tip. Plastic gel cutters or plastic safety razors can also be used to chop or mince soft tissues. Here are some examples:

• Disposable plastic gel cutter
• Disposable gel excision tips

For injecting samples to analyze, transferring reagents, and similar procedures, using a blunt end needle is a safe alternative to a hypodermic-type needle. A variety of blunt end needles are available in many different sizes. Here are some examples:

• Sigma Aldrich blunt pipetting needles
• Blunt tip dispensing needles

Pick up sharps safety. EH&S recommends using Soldering Straight Gripper or Hemostat Forceps.

Sometimes a needle is essential to the procedure. In this case, use a sharps holder device for reusable needles. If you use needles to inject into analyzers, consider storing them in a sharps holder device. Here are some examples:

• Needle holder
• Sharps holder

Use a gentle restraint while avoiding injury to personnel and animals.

EH&S recommends ScruffGuard or LabArt Restraint.

Watch a video of the ScruffGuard.

EH&S recommends substituting a USO insulin syringe used for subcutaneous injection with one of the following safety-engineered devices:

1mL VanishPoint Tuberculin Syringe 27G x 1/2”

1mL VanishPoint U-100 Insulin Syringe 29G x 1/2”

1mL VanishPoint Tuberculin syringe

EH&S recommends substituting a butterfly needle used for venous blood draw or IV injection with VanishPoint Blood Collection Set (Retractable) 23G x ¾”(Available with or without luer adapter and in 7'' or 12'' tubing).

VanishPoint blood collection set holder

VanishPoint blood collection tube

EH&S recommends substituting a needle with syringe used for blood draw with 3mL VanishPoint Syringe 20G x 1” or 3mL VanishPoint Syringe 20G x 1½”.

Environmental Health & Safety is available for consultation on procedures that involve needles and other sharps devices, including;

• Developing written procedures
• Recommending safer sharps devices
• Providing training and demonstrations
• Identifying and referring subject matter experts to consult on specific procedures

Refer to the Work Safely with Sharps Focus Sheet for a quick reference guide to safer work practices.

For questions about sharps use and disposal in laboratories, contact EH&S Biosafety.

For questions about sharps use in healthcare settings, contact the UW Employee Health Center.

Visit the Sharps and Lab Glass Waste page for more information about disposing of sharps waste.