Infection prevention and control guidelines

7. Sharps

Safety-engineered medical devices

Infection prevention and control guidelines
Download PDF
      4. Safety-engineered medical devices
  1. Figures
  2. Glossary
  3. Links
  4. Relevant standards
  5. Acknowledgements
  6. Disclaimer
  7. Search

Last revised: 18 Aug 2023

Safety-engineered medical devices

Practices may reduce the risk of sharps injuries through the use safety-engineered medical devices and other technologies that significantly reduce the risk of sharps injury, such as:

  • self-retracting single-use lancets for blood glucose testing
  • self-retracting cannula insertion devices
  • round-tipped scalpel blades instead of pointed sharp-tipped blades
  • vacuum blood collection tubes
  • properly installed scalpel blade removal devices
  • plastic ampoules in place of glass
  • sharps containers meeting Australian Standards and appropriately mounted (eg on a wall or trolley).

Advertising