“Safe needles” law a victory for workers
By Lenore Boris
PEF and other health-care unions around New York scored a victory when the “needlestick bill” was signed into law November 1, 2000. Shortly thereafter, a federal counterpart, the Needlestick Prevention Act, became law. These laws take a major step toward providing a safer workplace for PEF members. But, more action is needed to make safe needles a standard workplace item.
PEF is proactively engaged in efforts to ensure safe needles are available to all members. Specific regulations implementing the New York law have not been promulgated. However, OSHA has issued a new compliance directive (CPL 2-2.44D) requiring employers to evaluate and buy safer needles. These directives were adopted by the NYS Department of Labor’s Public Employee Safety and Health program (PESH) and, therefore, apply to public employees in New York. PEF is urging employers to comply with the directive.
Two years ago, the PEF Health and Safety Department established a Safe Needle Task Force. It includes PEF members, representatives from the state Office of General Services and other unions. Initially, work focused on securing legislation and getting safe needles on state contract. Now, the group is working on identifying and correcting roadblocks in obtaining safe needles.
Educating members about the requirements is a must. PEF compiled a product booklet describing various safe-needle devices. Information about the new mandates has been shared with PEF health and safety leaders and council leaders. Detailed information is available on the PEF website by clicking on “PEF Nurses.”
A compliance survey is available to help members recognize when their employer is failing to meet the new requirements. PEF is using the survey to conduct focus groups in various parts of the state to gather information and identify problems that delay use of safe needles.
Several problems have already been identified. Some prepackaged medications only come with unsafe needles. Manufacturing problems have delayed the availability of retractable 1 cc syringes used for tuberculosis testing and insulin injection. In the state Department of Correctional services, centralized purchasing limits opportunities for users to be involved in evaluating safe devices. Issues about who must comply with the directives have arisen. These and other problems are surfacing as PEF works to actualize the legislative requirement for safe needles.
The real challenges in making safe needles available lie ahead. Estimates for all health-care settings suggest 600,000 to 800,000 needlesticks occur among health-care workers annually. PEF will continue to work to provide a safer workplace for members.
No PEF nurse or other health-care professional should find their health or life jeopardized by an accidental needlestick.
Bloodborne-Compliance Directive
Selecting, Evaluating and Purchasing
Employers must
• provide details about selecting, evaluating and
purchasing safe devices; and
• institute engineering and work- practice controls
Worker Involvement in Training
Employers must
• provide training covering personal protective
equipment, how to use safe-needle devices, and
limitations of such devices; and
• involve employees in the selection process.
Best and Safe Devices
Employers must
• buy the most effective safe needles and sharps;
and
• use engineering controls or work practice that
would “eliminate or minimize exposures.”