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 What if a safety-engineered option is not available for the
medical device that I use?
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If there is no safety-engineered
device available for a certain procedure, you are not required
to use anything new. However, employers must implement work
practice controls and, if exposure risks remain, must provide
protective gear. Employers also must inquire as to the
availability of safety devices each year, and document that
fact in the Exposure Control Plan. If a safer device is
available, but back ordered or delayed, this must be
documented in the Exposure Control Plan. You must implement
the device(s) as soon as it becomes available, and then
document that fact.
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What is the OSHA fine, if we fail to use safety
devices?
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Noncompliant, and missing posting
requirement: up to $7,000 Willful and repeat offense: up to
$70,000
Falsifying records: up to $10,000 and/or 6 month
in jail.
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Does the “Needlestick Act” apply to me?
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The Act applies to all employers
who have employees with reasonably anticipated occupational
exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials
(OPIM). This includes physician offices, medical clinics,
nursing homes, home care facilities, surgery centers and
hospitals. As long as there is an employee in the practice who
has the potential of incurring an exposure to blood or OPIM,
even if they are not the one using the device, the practice
must be in full compliance.
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How does the law’s revision affect states that operate their
own federally-approved occupational safety and health
programs? |
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States with state OSHA programs
were required to adopt the revised standard by Oct. 18, 2001.
States may choose to implement their own, more stringent
standards independently of the Needlestick Act.
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Does OSHA have a list of available safer medical
devices?
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No. OSHA does not approve or
endorse any product.
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We have tried safety-engineered devices, and we don’t believe
they are safer than what we use today. Do we still need to convert
to safety products? |
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This judgment is likely to be
challenged, since OSHA has already collected data from across
the country demonstrating that safety-engineered devices do
effectively reduce needlesticks. Deciding not to use safety
devices needs to be based on clinical justifications that are
clearly documented in the Exposure Control Plan. In the
absence of such clinical evidence, employers are expected to
adopt safety devices.
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We feel safety-engineered devices cost too much. Is it
acceptable if we delay conversion until the price comes down? |
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No. Before passing the Needlestick
Act, OSHA conducted an industry-wide cost/benefit analysis and
concluded that the use of safety medical devices was
beneficial due to the reduction in the expenses associated
with testing and treating injured healthcare workers. For
example, it can cost upwards of $500,000 to $1 million to
treat a single worker who contracts hepatitis C or HIV.
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Is the use of a needle destroyer/pulverizer considered an
acceptable alternative to using safety-engineered device? |
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No. Needle destroyer/pulverizers as
well as sharps collectors facilitate the safe disposal of used
needles, but they do not provide any protection from the risk
of a needlestick during product use, which is when most
needlesticks occur.
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We have placed a box of safety product on the shelf to use
for select, high-risk situations. Does this make us compliant with
the new safety legislation? |
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No. The legislation requires
health-care employees to use safety devices in ALL cases where
safer medical devices are available.
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What if we’ve never had anyone on our staff experience a
needlestick injury, must we still convert to safety devices? |
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Yes. OSHA standards are intended to
prevent occupational injuries and illnesses.
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What is the position of key healthcare professional
organizations on this safety legislation? |
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The American Medical Association
supports the updated Bloodborne Pathogen Standard and the need
to prevent needlestick injuries. Furthermore, as of Apr. 1,
2002, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations (JCAHO) requires full compliance with the new
Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, including the use of safety
devices, in order to receive accreditation.
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What information do I need to include in my written Exposure
Control Plan? How often do I need to update it? |
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In addition to what is already
required by the 1991 standard, the revised standard requires
the documentation of annual consideration and implementation
of appropriate engineering controls, and solicitation of
non-managerial workers in evaluating/choosing safety
devices.The plan must be reviewed and updated every year.
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Why do we need to
use safety syringes?
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Recapping and disassembling needles
are the most frequent cause of needlestick injuries, which can
transmit viruses and other diseases.
According to the
reports from OSHA and the CDC, using a safety device could
prevent eighty percent, of approximately 1 million annual
sharps injuries. Infectious diseases often result from
needlestick injuries when recapping or disassembling needles.
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Does the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act apply to
medical or dental offices that have fewer than 10 employees? |
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Yes, the Needlestick Safety and
Prevention Act applies to all employers with employees who
have occupational exposures, regardless of how many workers
are employed. However, workplaces with 10 or fewer employees
are exempt from recording and maintaining a Sharps Inquiry
Log. All other applicable provisions of the Bloodborne
Pathogens Standard still apply.
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Do any laws require
the use of safety syringes?
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|
"NEEDLESTICK SAFETY AND PREVENTION
ACT" signed by President Bill Clinton on November 6, 2000
marks the end for unsafe conventional syringes and devices and
brings better protection for healthcare workers. The time is
coming for a revolution in syringe products worldwide. This
trend is spreading from the USA to Europe, from Japan to
Australia, and from South Africa to India.
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How does the DuoProSSTM- Retractable Safety Syringe work?
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After the injection, the needle is
withdrawn from the patient's body; pull the plunger backward
till you feel an obvious stop. Then snap the plunger. The
needle remains inside the barrel.
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Can I change or
remove the needle on the DuoProSSTM- Retractable
Safety Syringe?
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Yes, theBak'snapTM- Retractable Safety Syringe uses a
standard luer-lock tip needle, which allows healthcare workers
to change to the proper needle for different usages, or to
combine the safety syringe with other safety devices such as
IV sets.
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Can the DuoProSSTM- Retractable
Safety Syringe be reused?
|
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No, theDuoProSSTM- Retractable Safety Syringe is an
auto-disable syringe. The mechanism is destroyed when the
injection is completed when the plunger automatically locks
onto the needle base. This function prevents the reuse of the
syringe.
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Is the DuoProSSTM- Retractable
Safety Syringe a latex free product?
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Yes. The DuoProSSTM- Retractable Safety Syringe is a latex
free product, which does not expose the user to the risk of
Type I and Type IV allergies.
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