• OSHA has rules for dealing with used sharp medical instruments.nurse with a syringe image by Photosani from Fotolia.com
  
  All health care workers have two chief priorities: The safety and welfare of the patient, and the safety and welfare of themselves. One area of concern is the accidental piercing and cutting by used syringes and scalpels (called "sharps"). Since the instrument are used, the danger of cross-contamination by blood-borne pathogens is great, especially with hepatitis and HIV. In an effort to reduce workplace accidents in health care, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has mandates specifically for sharps.
  
  

Disposal

• OSHA stipulates that all sharps be dealt with right after use. The instrument must be placed in a specialized container immediately after use. If this cannot happen immediately, the instrument must be put in a specialized container as soon as possible.
  
  

Container Use

• Mandates are in place for sharps containers, bot disposable and reusable. The container must be leak-proof on the sides and bottom. The container must be puncture-resistant, closable and labeled for sharps. Any container that possibly will be used for biohazardous waste (such as used syringes) will be labeled and disposed of according to all applicable hazmat laws. Furthermore, the container must be readily accessible. For reusable sharps, the containment system has to be designed not to be opened, emptied or cleaned manually, but rather by automated means.
  
  

Accident Recording

• OSHA stipulates that all accidents with used sharps have to be recorded. All pertinent information about the injury must be recorded, such as time, place and exactly what happened. This must be done on the OSHA 300 Log form, entered as an injury. To maintain patient confidentiality, the injured person's name need not be written on the log.
  
  

Injury Prevention

• Facilities have rules to help prevent injury from sharps. Using automatic retracting needles on disposable syringes, and using blunt-tip needles for non-puncture applications such as injecting fluids into IV lines, are among procedures the University of Virginia recommends. Also, scalpels can be eliminated by using laser cutting devices instead.