Sharps injury log

Effective April 2001, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced new guidelines on needle stick prevention. Under the theory that prevention is the best medicine, revisions were made in the Bloodbome Fhthogens Standard. The revisions clarify the need for employers to select safer needle devices as they become available and to involve employees in identifying and choosing the devices. Employers with 11 or more employees must also maintain a Sharps Injury Log to include (at least) the following components ... 

Employers with employees experiencing occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infections materials mnst maintain a log of occupational injuries and illnesses under existing recordkeeping rnles but must also maintain a sharps injury log. This log must be maintained in a manner that... 

What three types of information does OSHA require on sharps injury logs ... 

Employers having workers with occupational exposure to BBP must establish and maintain a sharps injury log for the recording of percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharps. The information in the sharps injury log has to be recorded and maintained in such manner as to protect the confidentiality of the injured employee. The sharps injury log need to contain, at a minimum ... 

This applies to any employer who is required to maintain a log of occupational injuries and illnesses under OSHA s injury and illness recordkeeping standard, part 1904. However, employers may use the OSHA 300 Log and 301 incident report to meet the sharps injury log requirements. To use the recordkeeping forms, the type and brand of the device has to be entered on either the 300 or 301 form, and the records must be maintained in a way that segregates sharps injixries from other types of work injuries. However, if you prefer to maintain a separate sharps injury log, there is a sample form on page 77 of this chapter. 

Q. Can you clarify the relationship between the OSHA recordkeeping requirements and the requirements in the Bloodborne Pathogens standard to maintain a sharps injury log ... 

A. The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standard states The requirement to establish and maintain a sharps injury log shall apply to any employer who is required to maintain a log of occupational injuries and illnesses irnder 29 CFR 1904. Therefore, if an employer is exempted from the OSHA record-keeping rule, the employer does not have to... 

A. Yes. You may use the 300 Log to meet the requirements of the sharps injury log provided you enter the type and brand of the device causing the sharps injury on the Log and you maintain your records in a way that segregates sharps injuries from other types of work-related injuries and illnesses, or allows sharps injuries to be easily separated. 

Employers must enter sharps injury cases on the OSHA 300 Log and the sharps injury log without entering the employee s name. If an employee is splashed or exposed to blood or OPIM without being cut or punctured, the incident must be recorded on the OSHA 300 Log if it results in the diagnosis of a bloodborne illness or if it meets one or... 

OSHA revised the standard in November 2000 in accordance with the Needle Stick Safety and Protection Act. The revision clarified the requirements for employers to seleet safer needle devices as they become available and in identifying and selecting the devices. The employer must establish and keep a sharps injury log that became effective April 18, 2001. 

T or F—Employers must establish and keep a sharp injury log, which became law on April 18, 2001. 

In addition to the 1904 recordkeeping requirements, a confidential sharps injury log is maintained for recording percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharps. 

Employers that must comply with OSHA s occupational injury and illness recordkeeping requirements (29 CFR Part 1904) must also keep a sharps injury log of percutaneous injuries firom sharp materials that were contaminated with blood or OPIMs (i.e., needlestick injuries from used needles). 

---