Sharps Containers: Preventing Sharps Injuries With Proper Disposal

Sharps injuries are a very serious matter in healthcare facilities. According to the CDC, they estimate that about 385,000 sharps-related injuries occur yearly among medical workers in hospitals. Careful handling of contaminated sharps can reduce the risk of infection for hospital workers.

A sharps container is simply a container that is filled with used medical needles, scalpels or any small sharp medical instruments. According to OSHA, containers for contaminated sharps must be puncture-resistant. The sides and the bottom must be leakproof. They must be appropriately labeled or color-coded red to warn everyone that the contents are hazardous.

What can you do to prevent sharps injuries?

• Utilize appropriate sharps containers in your work environment.
• Dispose sharps with care (keep fingers away from opening of the container, do not overfill the sharps containers, follow safety guidelines when disposing sharps).
• Recapping a used needle prior to placing into sharps containers.
• Dispose sharps immediately after use, or as soon as possible.

The 14 Qt Big Mouth Sharps Container features a large screw cap closure with locking device. This particular unit is puncture-resistant and can be mounted to the wall using an optional mounting bracket.

Sharps containers are a must-have for sharps disposal! If you have any questions or comments regarding sharps containers please let us know in the box below.