Seek urgent medical advice (for example from your occupational health service) as effective prophylaxis (medicines to help fight infection) are available

The assessment needs to be appropriate for the nature of the work. The more hazardous the work, the more in-depth the assessment should be. For example, procedures that have a higher risk of injury include intra-vascular cannulation, venepuncture and injections and involve the use of devices such as IV cannulae, winged steel-butterfly-needles, needles and syringes and phlebotomy needles. These procedures should have detailed assessments. Healthcare workers should only administer medication using a disposable multiple-dose injecting device (i.e. injector pen) if a safety-engineered needle is used. Follow instructions for further treatment and follow-up from medical professionals, where necessary.The poster templates are embedded in a series of PowerPoint slides. A basic knowledge of Microsoft Office is needed to extract the files and print them. Posters can be printed using standard desktop printers. Modifying images, text, and data In a small GP practice, generic assessments may be suitable for the small numbers of staff and activities undertaken. Health and safety law applies to risks from sharps injuries, just as it does to other risks from work activities. Relevant legislation includes: Assess the risk of sharps injuries from work activities and procedures and provide employees with information and training on the risks and reactive measures of a sharps injury occurring.

Immediately perform first aid if someone has been exposed to blood or body fluids. First aid should include: Engineering controls - remove or isolate the hazard by using sharps disposal containers or other devices that have an integrated injury prevention feature. Safety devices must be chosen with care as no one device or strategy will work in every situation.The transmission of infection depends on a number of factors, including the person's natural immune system. We know the number of injuries each year is high, but only a small number are known to have caused infections that led to serious illness. However, the effects of the injury and anxiety about its potential consequences, including the adverse side effects of post-exposure prophylaxis can have a significant personal impact on an injured employee. Who is at risk? Give tetanus vaccine (DTPa or ADT depending on child’s age) and tetanus immunoglobulin. Access via Transfusion Management Unit (Blood Bank) Ext 34015 (from PCH) or 6383 4015 (for urgent requests) These guidelines have been produced to guide clinical decision making for the medical, nursing and allied health staff of Perth Children’s Hospital. They are not strict protocols, and they do not replace the judgement of a senior clinician. Clinical common-sense should be applied at all times. These clinical guidelines should never be relied on as a substitute for proper assessment with respect to the particular circumstances of each case and the needs of each patient. Clinicians should also consider the local skill level available and their local area policies before following any guideline. Where adequate control of exposure cannot be achieved by other means, provision of suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) in addition to the measures required by (a) and (b) above. Providing education around sharps injury prevention and SED use, especially at the time of new employee orientation and each time an exposure is sustained

Safety in Health Services Laboratories: Safe working and prevention of infection in clinical laboratories (HSC Health Services Advisory Committee) Elimination - find ways to eliminate or reduce needle use during procedures, medication delivery, and specimen collection.

Poster Templates

Point of use disposal of sharps is encouraged by ensuring adequate placement of sharps containers in areas where sharps are generated Report and investigate all sharps injuries, identifying trends or patterns of sharps injury occurrence and completing thorough analysis with the participation of the injured staff These Regulations (PDF) - Portable Document Format implement the EU Council Directive 2010/32/EU on the prevention of sharps injuries in the hospital and healthcare sector. the patient may self-administer as normal provided they can remove and dispose of their pen needle. an audible, tactile or visual signal that the safety mechanism has correctly activated is helpful to the user; and