Safe use of sharps

In clinical environments, using sharps, needles, scalpels, lancets, and other instruments is routine. Every healthcare professional has a vital role in preventing sharp injuries and reducing exposure to bloodborne pathogens like Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.

What counts as a sharp?

In healthcare, examples of sharps include:

hypodermic needles and syringes
scalpels and surgical blades
lancets and blood collection devices
IV stylets and suture needles
glass ampoules and broken medical instruments
any instrument that can cut, prick, cause injury or infection

For more guidance and information refer to Management of Sharps and Prevention of Sharp Injuries Policy

Safe handling

Employees handling sharps are responsible for their safe use and disposal. To protect yourself, your colleagues, and service users, you must think about safety whenever you use sharps.

Before the procedure: plan and prepare

Conduct a dynamic risk assessment before a sharp-related task. A dynamic risk assessment is a continuous, on-the-spot, undocumented risk assessment of the task, environment and instruments used.
Set up designated sharps containers appropriate to the waste type, securely mounted or placed in integrated trays or mobile holders.
Place containers within arm’s reach in patient care areas where possible.
Ensure clear roles and responsibilities for safe container assembly, tagging, and disposal, including identification of responsible personnel.
Display disposal procedures prominently near sharps usage areas.
Provide manufacturer instructions for container assembly and closure.
Use colour-coded containers to match waste categories.
Position containers safely at least 1.3m off the ground, away from general waste bins, and out of reach of children.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used as documented in the risk assessment.

During the procedure: minimise risk

Maintain visual contact with sharps at all times.
Use safety-engineered devices whenever available (such as retractable needles, needleless systems).
Prohibit recapping, resheathing, bending, or breaking needles.
Minimise handling - use instruments instead of fingers to grasp or load sharps.
Use neutral zones or IV trays to pass sharps and avoid hand-to-hand transfer.
Give verbal alerts when passing sharp instruments.
Choose round-tipped blades over pointed ones when possible.
Activate safety features on engineered devices immediately after use - never delay.
Dispose of sharps at point of care - never carry by hand.
Deposit needle and syringe as one unit into the container.
Engage temporary closure mechanisms when containers are not in use.
Never reach into sharps containers and do not exceed the fill line.

After the procedure: secure and disposal

Use designated sharps containers - puncture-resistant, leak-proof, and clearly labelled.
Tag, sign, and close containers securely once full, in line with HSE guidelines.
Store full containers in a secured designated area awaiting collection.
Transport reusable sharps (such as surgical instruments) in puncture-resistant, lidded containers following HSE standards for decontamination.

For more details and guidance see the Management of Sharps and Prevention of Sharp Injuries Policy.

Common mistakes to avoid

❌ Never throw sharps into regular waste bins

❌ Never leave sharps on trays, beds, or counters

❌ Avoid multitasking while handling sharps

Risk assessment

To help you complete your risk assessment, use the management of sharps and prevention of sharps prompt sheet (PDF, 520 KB, 6 pages)

Worked examples

Worked example sharps risk assessment for vaccination centre (PDF, 530 KB, 6 pages)

Worked example sharps risk assessment for housekeeping departments (PDF, 340 KB, 5 pages)

Safe operating procedures (SOPs)

It may be necessary to develop local safe operating procedures (SOPs). The SOPs should describe the steps to follow for handling sharps safely. You can reference or hyperlink the SOPs in your risk assessment. All SOPs must be shared with relevant employees and documented for sign off.

Worked examples

Worked example SOP for safe use, handling and disposal of sharps (PDF, 290 KB, 2 pages)

Worked example SOP for spill response for spillages of sharps from sharps containers (PDF, 275 KB, 2 pages)

Responding to sharps Injuries

If a needle stick or sharps injury occurs:

immediately wash the area with soap and water
report the incident to your line manager
follow post-exposure protocols including risk assessment and prophylaxis if needed
report the incident for follow-up and prevention (see accident and incident reporting)

Get more information in the Emergency Management of Injuries (EMI) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Guidelines (PDF, 1 MB, 119 pages)

Building a sharps safety culture

Manager responsibilities

As a manager, it is your responsibility to:

assess the risk of exposure to sharps injuries
identify ways to eliminate or minimise the risk
use Safety Engineered Devices (SEDs) where available and suitable for the task, and where it is reasonably practicable to do so
implement, monitor and review practices, procedures and control measures
review findings of incidents and implement identified control measures
ensure there are local procedures for employees who receive a sharps injury
report incidents in line with the Incident Management Framework and to the Health and Safety Authority, as appropriate
ensure employees are aware of and receive appropriate sharps training

For more information on manager responsibilities, see the HSE Policy on the Management of Sharps and Prevention of Sharp Injuries

Employee responsibilities

As an employee, it is your responsibility to:

work in a responsible manner, taking care of your own safety, health and welfare
cooperate with the regular review of risk assessments and control measures
attend training as appropriate
use safety equipment or PPE provided
report any defects in equipment and unsafe systems of work
report any incidents or near-misses involving sharps

For more information on employee responsibilities, see the HSE Policy on the Management of Sharps and Prevention of Sharp Injuries

Training

Effective sharps safety begins with adequate training.

Managers must carry out a training needs assessment (TNA).

The TNA helps managers identify the right training for their employees based on the tasks they undertake. When training needs are identified, employees must receive regular instruction on how to handle, dispose of, and respond to sharps safely.

To keep the workplace safe and compliant, training should be refreshed regularly. The frequency of these sessions should be based on:

current compliance levels - evaluate how well staff are adhering to safe work practices
emerging or evolving risks - consider any new hazards or changes related to handling sharps
advancements in safety and treatment - stay updated on the latest improvements in preventing and managing sharps-related injuries and infections

A sharps safety module is available on HSeLanD. This module helps promote safer work practices and reduce the risk of sharps-related injuries in the workplace.

The module is mandatory for staff whose work may involve exposure to sharps.

Regular training helps ensure that your team stays informed, protected, and ready to respond effectively to workplace risks.

Vaccinations

If the risk assessment identifies a risk of exposure to a biological agent and an effective vaccine exists, the employer must provide the vaccine to the employee for free. For example, a vaccine is available for protection against Hepatitis B, but not for Hepatitis C or HIV. Employees must be told about the benefits and drawbacks of getting the vaccine and of not getting it.

Some vaccines are suggested for workers based on the type of work they do in NIAC's Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland.

Get more information - hspc.ie.

Sharps Injury Prevention Committee

The committee helps staff, managers, and others reduce the risk of injuries from needles and other sharp objects.

They do this by:

working with healthcare teams and other stakeholders to prevent and manage sharps injuries
keeping track of progress by setting and reviewing key performance indicators (KPIs) for sharps-related incidents and claims
staying up to date with national safety guidelines and laws, and take action when changes happen
spotting trends by monitoring injury reports to identify patterns and areas for improvement
using data to plan prevention strategies and measure how well they’re working
choosing the right tools by consulting with healthcare staff when selecting safety devices
checking safety measures like engineering controls and safe work practices to make sure they’re effective
sharing insights with the safety committee and offering recommendations based on reviews and data
overseeing disposal systems to ensure sharps are disposed of safely and audits are completed
reviewing risk assessments for use of non-safe sharps and making sure proper controls are in place

Warning notification:Warning

Safe use of sharps in healthcare settings

What counts as a sharp?

Safe handling

Common mistakes to avoid

Risk assessment

Worked examples

Safe operating procedures (SOPs)

Worked examples

Building a sharps safety culture

Manager responsibilities

Employee responsibilities

Training

Vaccinations

Sharps Injury Prevention Committee

Related topics

Related documents

Contact HSE Health and Safety helpdesk (HSE staff only)