Healthcare at the Sharp End

Regulations 3 & 4:

Scope of Regulations

Apply to any Healthcare Employer

• Organisation whose main activity is the management, organisation and provision of healthcare

Apply to any Healthcare Contractor

• Whose staff provide services for a Healthcare Employer and are exposed to risk of sharps injury and the contractor supervises staff

Only apply to work on a Healthcare Employer's premises or under authority of a Healthcare Employer, but otherwise:

• To staff giving care to patients in their homes
• To residential care homes where primary purpose of home is to provide healthcare
• To student trainees where the Healthcare Employer is providing the training (as opposed to the academic institution)
• To medical staff working in prisons or schools, where employed by a Healthcare Employer

For employees working for a contractor on non-healthcare premises the Regulations do not apply, but existing laws require risk assessment and appropriate action

Regulation 5:

Use and disposal of sharps

Use of sharps to be avoided so far as is possible

Where reasonably practicable, use safer sharps

• ie, which incorporate features or mechanisms to prevent or minimise the risk of accidental injury
• To decide what is reasonably practicable relevant factors include:

-  Cost

-  Whether the safer sharp might compromise patient care

-  Hazards the device might introduce

-  Ease of use

-  Suitability of the safety mechanism

Re-capping outlawed except where to control risk and equipment available

For non-reusable sharps, employers must provide:

• Written instructions on disposal and
• Suitable containers, both close to area where sharps are used.

Regulation 6:

Information and Training

Employers must provide information on:

• Risk of injury from medical sharps
• Legislative requirements re protection
• Good practice
• Vaccination
• Support available, and

Provide training on:

• Safe use and disposal of medical sharps
• Use of safer sharps
• Procedures re injuries

Regulation 7:

Recording and prevention

Employers notified of sharps injury must:

• Record the incident
• Investigate it
• Take any necessary action to prevent a recurrence

Where injury involves exposure to biological agent, the employer must ensure:

• Employee gets medical advice
• Treatment is provided if recommended
• Consider providing counselling

Regulation 8:

Employees' duty to notify

Employees must notify employers of sharps injuries they suffer.