Needlestick Injuries

Date of Issue: October 20, 2006

Hazard Summary

Needlestick injuries can expose workers to a number of diseases which may cause serious or possibly fatal infections.

Workers who may come into contact with needles are at risk, including: healthcare workers, cleaners, janitors and custodians.

To help employers and employees educate themselves on this issue, we provide the following links to useful sites.

Legislation: Safer Needles in Healthcare Workplaces Act

Canadian Sites:

• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health And Safety
  Information Page - Questions and Answers, statistics, preventive information
• Canadian Auto Workers
  Needlestick Injuries - Questions and Answers

Other Government/Government Organizations:

• National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety
  How to Protect Yourself from Needlestick Injuries (PDF) Brochure
• Preventing Needlestick Injuries in Health Care Settings (PDF) Alert
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  How to Prevent Needlestick Injuries (PDF)

General:

• International Sharps Injuries Prevention Society
• Yale-New Haven Hospital & Yale University School of Medicine "Risk Management Handbook - Infectious Disease Control"