NR NR/L3/OCS/044/FG-02A ISSUE 1 PDF

Introduction

Needle stick Injuries are skin punctures caused by hypodermic needles. Accidental needle stick injury is a well known risk for people who use needles in medical or veterinary work.

However this information sheet deals mainly with the risks arising from the careless or malicious disposal of needles. It lists some of the places where needles have been found, with or without a syringe (see Table 1), and gives advice both on preventing needle stick injuries and on coping with any injuries that do occur.