Preventing needlestick injuries

摘要

There are a number of existing and new laws that require employers to protect health professionals from sharps injuries (Royal College of Nursing (RCN), 2011). The overarching law is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This places general responsibilities on employers to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees. Under the Health Act (2008), the Government published a new Code of Practice for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections and showed how effective sharps management can be in preventing infections (Department of Health, 2008).