When working with human or animal material, there is a risk of infection with blood- borne viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. A risk arises when this material is unexpectedly released, through punctures, cuts, bites, and splashes, for example, if you injure yourself with a used needle or scalpel or if (blood) splashes land on a mucous membrane (eye, mouth).
Examples of high-risk activities and circumstances include:
- Cutting, suturing, making incisions, performing venipunctures.
- Procedures involving the potential for bodily fluids to splash.
- Unforeseen/uncontrolled circumstances.
- Working with sharp materials in the same work area.
- Handling contaminated or sharp materials.
- Picking up or handling used sharp materials.
Your umc takes technical and organizational control measures to prevent needle stick, splash, cut, and bite incidents, following the biological occupational hygiene strategy. The employer has a reporting procedure in place so that those affected can report incidents and receive the necessary medical aftercare. In addition, your umc will investigate the underlying causes of these incidents and take corrective measures to prevent them. See the LCI guideline on needle stick injuries and the SRI guideline on accidental blood contact.
As an employee, you are expected to behave safely. You can prevent infection from a splash incident yourself:
- Always wear an IIR mask and splash goggles during activities that may cause splashes. Examples of activities with a risk of body fluid splashes, during which an IIR mask and splash goggles must always be worn, can be found in the SRI guideline on personal protective equipment
- Cover any broken skin with a waterproof plaster.
As an employee, you can prevent infection from a puncture or cut incident yourself:
- Avoid sharp objects. If possible, perform procedures using blunt or less sharp objects.
- Place the needle container within reach before starting the puncture or cutting procedure.
- Never recap needles.
- Use a new needle for each injection.
- Never bend, break, or manipulate needles. An exception may only be made if the manufacturer indicates that these actions can be performed safely with this product.
- Ensure adequate lighting during injections, even in the evening and at night.
- Avoid repackaging sharp materials as much as possible, hand them over safely, and communicate when doing so.
- Activate the protection mechanism immediately after the injection.
- Close and replace the needle container as soon as the level rises above the line.
- After use, dispose of sharp reusable instruments and objects as quickly as possible in sealed transport systems for cleaning, disinfection, and, if applicable, sterilization. Pay extra attention to communication when working with sharp materials alongside a colleague in the same work area.
- Provide patients who are able to administer injections themselves with their own needle container within easy reach and take over the injections as soon as the patient is no longer able to administer them safely.
- Talk to colleagues about unsafe behavior and the associated risks, and report dangerous situations.
If you are involved in a needle stick, cut, splash, or bite incident:
- Rinse the wound thoroughly with water or saline solution.
- Disinfect the wound with 70% alcohol.
- In case of splashes on mucous membranes: rinse the area thoroughly with water or saline solution.
- Try to find out the details (name, date of birth, and patient number) of the person who caused your injury.
- Report the incident in the organization's reporting system and follow the medical aftercare procedure.
- The department will take corrective measures to prevent future incidents.
- The occupational health and safety service will determine the underlying causes of the incident and may recommend additional improvement measures.