This month’s safety focus shines a precautionary spotlight on the risk of injury from puncture wounds or cuts received through inadvertent contacts with improperly discarded used hypodermic needles or surgical instruments. An overview of the issue follows below.

Needlesticks & Sharps

Watch out for used needles!

There are few things worse than receiving a puncture would or cut from a used needle or surgical “sharp.” If an employee is stuck by a used needle, it’s recommended that he or she take a blood test to determine if the person has contracted a bloodborne pathogen (i.e., a microorganism that ...