Precautions advised to prevent needlestick injuries among US healthcare workers.

Officials from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended that hospitals and other healthcare employers adopt measures, including the use of needleless and safe-needle devices, to prevent injuries and illnesses from accidental needlesticks in the workplace. “Today’s healthcare workforce faces a multitude of risks,” said NIOSH Director Linda Rosenstock, MD, MPH. “We know that needleless devices and safe-needle devices can save lives. We must do everything we can to protect the healthcare workers who have devoted their lives to keeping America healthy.” The agency noted that 600 000 to 800 000 needlestick injuries occur in the United States each year. In some instances, these accidents can lead to serious or potentially fatal infections with hepatitis B or C viruses or HIV, which is associated with AIDS. The numbers are estimates because many needlesticks go unreported, agency officials said. In a bulletin entitled “NIOSH Alert: Preventing Needlestick Injuries in Health Care Settings,” the agency recommended: