Sharps Prevention in Practice: the UK’s Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013

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The European Council Directive on sharps injury prevention (Council Directive 2010/32/EU)¹ was issued in 2010 to help prevent the estimated one million sharps injuries occurring in the European Union each year.² All EU member states were mandated to incorporate the Directive into national law by 11 May 2013.

The implementation of the EU Directive is a milestone moment for ensuring healthcare workers’ safety in Europe. It is important that all medical and surgical personnel are aware of and comply with the legislation that has come into force as a result of the Directive. In this article I shall detail the UK’s new sharps injury prevention legislation as an example of regulations and guidance that have confirmed the Directive as an important step towards achieving the safest possible working environment for healthcare workers…

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Jordan Yates
T: 0844 858 2890
E: jordan.yates@barkerbrooks.co.uk

Author

Dr Kenneth Strauss, Director of Safety in medicine, European Medical Association and Global Medical Director, BD.

References

1. EU Council Directive 2010/32/EU, europeanbiosafetynetwork.eu/OJEU.pdf
2. EU Commission for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, New legislation to reduce injuries for 3.5 million healthcare workers in Europe, 8th March 2010. www.saferneedles.org.uk/news/pdf_articles/Directive_press_statement.pdf
3. Statutory Instruments, 2013 No. 645, Health and Safety, The Health and Safety (Sharps Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/645/made
4. Haiduven DJ, Simpkins SM, Phillips ES, Stevens DA. A Survey of Percutaneous/Mucocutaneous Injury Reporting in a Public Teaching Hospital, Journal of Hospital Infection, (1999) 41, 2, 151-154.
5. Ibid.
6. Napoli VM and McGowan JE Jr, How Much Blood is in a Needlestick?, The Journal of Infectious Diseases [1987, 155(4):828]
7. T. Shikata, T. Karasawa, K. Abe, T. Uzawa, H. Suzuk et al. Hepatitis B e Antigen and Infectivity of Hepatitis B Virus, J Infect Dis. (1977) 136 (4): 571-576.
8. National Audit Office, A safer place to work – improving the management of health and safety risks in NHS trusts, 30th April 2003, www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2003/04/0203623.pdf
9. European Biosafety Network, Prevention of sharps injuries in the hospital and healthcare sector: Implementation guidance for the EU Framework Agreement, council directive and associated national legislation, www.europeanbiosafetynetwork.eu/EU%20Sharps%20Injuries%20Implementation%20Guidance.pdf
10. Ibid.
11. B. Green and E. C. Griffiths, Psychiatric consequences of needlestick injury, Occupational Medicine, (London: 2013, Vol. 63 (3):183-188.
12. UK legislation, The Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013, www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/645/made
13. Statutory Instruments, 2013 No. 645, Health and Safety, The Health and Safety (Sharps Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/645/made
14. Paul de Raeve, Sharps Injuries – Stepping Up to the Challenge in Europe, http://www.efnweb.be/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/HHE_Sharps_article_PaulDeRaeve_EFN.pdf
15. Health and Safety Executive, Health and Safety (Sharps Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013: Guidance for employers and employees, March 2013, http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsis7.pdf

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