Safety Issues within the Health Care Industry

OSHA’s Views on Needlestick Injuries

The OSHA publication “Safer Needle Devices: Protecting Health Care Workers,” dated October 1997, states that five primary activities are associated with the majority of needlestick injuries:

1. Disposing of needles, including collection and disposal of materials used during patient-care procedures
2. Administering injections
3. Drawing blood
4. Recapping needles (not allowed under the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard)
5. Handling trash and dirty linens (Termed “downstream injuries,” these usually affect the housekeeping department.)

The publication goes on to assert:

• “Section (d)(2)(I) of the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires the use of engineering and work-practice controls to eliminate or minimize employee exposure.” (emphasis OSHA’s)
• “CPL-2.44c states that ‘Section (d)(2) shall be cited for failure to use engineering/work-practice controls.’ ” (again, emphasis is OSHA’s)
• “Therefore, failure to use engineering and work-practice controls could result in a citation.”

Finally, it recommends a “comprehensive needlestick prevention program” that includes:

• Creation of a multidisciplinary team
• Defining prevention priorities on the basis of collection and analysis of an institution’s injury data
• Developing design and performance criteria for product selection according to needs for patient care and the safety of the health care worker
• Planning, implementing and evaluation of products in clinical settings
• Analyzing product performance and cost-effectiveness to choose the product

Relevant Legislation

The California OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, CCR-T8 5193, which went into effect January 15, 1999 (with a deadline of July 1, 1999, for compliance) also can be expected to have an impact on future legislative actions regarding needlestick injuries. The Cal/OSHA standard mandates an exposure-control plan designed to “eliminate or minimize employee occupational exposure to blood or certain other body fluids.”

California Senator Barbara Boxer already has announced her plans to introduce a bill into the United States Senate fashioned after the Cal/OSHA standard.

The proposed emergency standard to amend section 5193. Click here for the website: http://www.dir.ca.gov/Dir/OS&H/Oshsb/bloodborne.html

"Safer Needle Devices: Protecting Health Care Workers": Click here for the website: http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/needlestick/saferneedledevices/saferneedledevices.html#oroni

California Assembly Bill 1208 Occupational Safety and Health: Bloodborne Pathogen Standard Summary of Key Provisions. Click here for the website: http://www.dir.ca.gov/DIR/OS&H/DOSH/DOSHBloodBorne.html

For Further Information:
Federal OSHA

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