Needlesticks and other sharps-related injuries that expose healthcare workers to bloodborne pathogens like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV), continue to be a significant hazard for hospital employees.

The World Health Organization reports that needlestick injuries contribute to 39%, 37% and 4.4% of hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV infections respectively. 

OSHA estimates 5.6 million workers in the U.S. healthcare industry are at risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens via needlestick injuries and other sharps-related injuries. 

Each year 385,000 needlestick injuries and other sharps-related injuries are sustained by hospital-based healthcare personnel. This equates to an average of around 1,000 sharps injuries that occur per day in U.S. hospitals. 

Including other non-acute healthcare facilities, it is estimated that 600,000 healthcare personnel incur a needlestick injury each year in the U.S. 

40% of injuries occur after use and before disposal of sharp devices, 41% of injuries occur during the use of sharp devices on patients, and 15% of injuries occur during or after disposal. 

Virtually all healthcare personnel are at risk of harm from occupational exposures such as needlestick injuries. The CDC notes that while nurses sustain approximately half of all needlestick injuries, physicians housekeeping and maintenance staff, technicians and administrators are also harmed.

Sharps Injuries are preventable and should be eliminated. In the hierarchy of priorities to prevent sharps injuries, the first priority is to eliminate and reduce the use of needles and other sharps wherever possible. 

A luer-activated needleless connector IV therapy delivery system can improve health care worker safety by decreasing needlestick injury rates.