How to Prevent a Needlestick Injury

Safe work practices and loss prevention measures can reduce or prevent the chance of injury.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), these steps can help to prevent needlestick injuries:

• Avoid using needles if a safe and effective alternative is available.

• Use needles that have safety features.

• Avoid recapping needles.

• Plan to safely handle and dispose of needles before using them. For example, placing a disposal container near your worksite reduces movement of the dangerous object.

• Promptly dispose of used needles in a sharps disposal container.

• Report any needle hazards you observe.

• Participate in bloodborne pathogen training.

• Get a hepatitis B vaccination.

If You Have a Needlestick Injury

Wash the prick or cut with soap and water. Report the incident to your supervisor and seek medical treatment.

Implementing a Bloodborne Pathogens Program

If you can reasonably anticipate that you will face contact with blood or other infections materials in the course of your work, your employer must have a Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Program.

For example, a company can reasonably anticipate that a first aid team might face contact with bodily fluids. However, the chance of a worker helping a coworker with a nosebleed outside of their job responsibilities is not enough to require a program.

A Bloodborne Pathogens Program has the following components:

• Exposure Control Plan
  This identifies the potential exposure to risk for each employee; details how to control the exposure; and outlines the planned steps to eliminate the exposure.

• Universal Precautions Approach
  This approach treats all human blood and bodily fluids as infections and takes all precautions to avoid contact.

• Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) Training
  Regardless of their risk of exposure, all employees should receive BBP training.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Special Equipment
  PPE can include gloves, face shields, aprons, etc. Special Equipment can include sharps containers and biohazard bags for the disposal of contaminated materials and PPE. Employees must be trained in the use of PPE and special equipment.

• Access to Vaccines and Emergency Care
  If an employee is exposed to BBP, they must be offered the Hepatitis B Vaccine within 10 days of exposure. Additionally, a medical professional should evaluate the exposed employee and provide preventative or follow–up care, at no cost to them, as needed.

• Documentation
  All parts of the Bloodborne Pathogens Program should be documented.

NJM Insurance Group was founded in 1913 with a focus on safety. To this day, the Company provides loss prevention resources to help policyholders maintain a safe work environment. Learn more about how NJM Workers’ Compensation helps protect employees from injuries or illnesses and guide the recovery of workers injured on the job.

Additional Reading
Needlestick Injuries Are Preventable (2021). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). cdc.gov
NJM Safety Program Guide (2020). NJM Insurance Group.