Addressing the Hierarchy of Controls Using Sharps Safety The Hierarchy of Controls is a very effective method for managing hazards in the workplace and should be followed to prevent sharps injuries to healthcare workers. According to Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), it is a well-recognised approach used to address sharps hazards in …
Are Safety Scalpels Actually Safe?
Injuries from needles and scalpels are one of the biggest concerns among health care workers with upwards of 18,000 healthcare workers in Australia experiencing needle-stick and scalpel injuries each year (1). Hazards from sharps injuries include transmission of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV, as well as 20 other pathogens (1). This is not to …
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NHMRC’s Updated “Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare”
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is Australia’s leading organisation for health and medical research. They provide funding for thousands of research projects that have benefitted people around the world. The NHMRC’s guidelines and publications are highly regarded in medical, healthcare and allied healthcare industries. In collaboration with the Australian Commission on …
What Does It Take To Be A Safety Champion?
Finding safety champions isn’t always easy. Sometimes they come from the most unlikely candidates. It could be you, or it could be the person sitting next to you, or it can be someone that you just see on the elevator on your way to your desk. Whoever it is, you’ll know it because of their …
It’s Your Funeral: Risks of Sharps Injuries in Funeral Facilities
Funeral directors and embalmers have close contact with cadavers and body fluids, which leaves them at risk of sharps injuries and bloodborne infections. Sharps injuries can transmit bloodborne viruses such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. There is also the risk that a serious sharps cut can damage a tendon or nerve, which can …
New Australia Standards AS 3825:2020 Procedures and Devices for the Removal, Containment and Disposal of Scalpel Blades
In December 2020 Standards Australia published AS 3825:2020 Procedures and devices for the removal, containment and disposal of scalpel blades from scalpel handles to replace the 1998 version, AS/NZS 3825:1998. This revision enabled the inclusion of new information and the removal of one outdated section based on the latest published data to ensure optimal safety …