Ask the expert: Safety devices and non-contaminated needles
Q: When drawing up medication, must we use a safety needle if it is not to be used to administer to the patient?
A: Non-contaminated needles are not subject to the bloodborne pathogens standard, according to Enforcement Procedures for the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens:
“Needles that will not become contaminated by blood during use (such as those used only to draw medication from vials) are not required to have engineering controls under this standard. The needle used for the actual injection, however, must incorporate engineering controls.”
Make a notation of this work practice in the exposure control plan, along with a reference to the enforcement document.
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David LaHoda
David LaHoda, the managing editor of Medical Environment Update and OSHA Watch, has produced healthcare training videos and consulted for medical practices and ambulatory healthcare facilities.
David has written 196 posts.
Comments
Does no-contaminated laundry be treated as a potential bio-hazard? Does it need to be placed in a special container?
If you are strictly following the OSHA bloodborne pathogen standard, contaminated laundry is defined as:
“Laundry which has been soiled with blood or other potentially infectious materials or may contain sharps.”
Facilities may have stricter precautions and define all used linen as potentially contaminated, in which case special handling and containerization would be needed.
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