OCC/Welfare/TBT-OCC-040

Needle Stick Injuries

Occupational Health › Welfare › Needle Stick Injuries

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A needle stick injury occurs when a hypodermic needle or sharp object punctures the skin unexpectedly.
Discarded needles and sharps are found on construction sites, especially during demolition and land clearance.
Contaminated needles can transmit blood-borne viruses including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV.
Wastewater treatment works, public realm projects, and brownfield sites carry the highest needle stick risk.
COSHH 2002 classifies blood-borne viruses as biological hazards requiring assessment and control measures.
The risk of Hepatitis B transmission from a single contaminated needle stick is approximately one in three.
Needles may be hidden in overgrown vegetation, rubble, soil, inside walls, and under floorboards.
Sharps bins must be available on site wherever needle finds are anticipated or have occurred previously.
Post-exposure treatment must begin within one hour for maximum effectiveness against blood-borne infections.
Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all construction workers likely to encounter sharps on site.

Blood-borne infection	A single needle stick can transmit Hepatitis B with a 30% probability — this is a life-changing infection.
Hidden hazard	Discarded needles are invisible in rubble, soil, and vegetation until they puncture skin during manual work.
Time-critical treatment	Post-exposure prophylaxis must start within one hour — delays reduce effectiveness against HIV and Hepatitis B.
Legal duty	COSHH 2002 requires employers to assess biological risks and provide vaccination where workers are at risk.

Don't

Wear puncture-resistant gloves for all manual handling on brownfield and demolition sites.
Visually inspect the ground and materials before handling rubble, soil, or vegetation.
Use litter pickers, tongs, or shovels to move debris rather than bare or gloved hands.
Report any needle or sharps find to the supervisor immediately without touching it.
Place found needles in a sharps bin using tongs — never pick them up by hand.
Know the location of the nearest sharps bin and first aid point on your site.
Seek immediate medical attention if a needle stick injury occurs — within one hour.
Accept Hepatitis B vaccination when offered by your employer before working on high-risk sites.
Record all needle finds on the site hazard log to alert other workers in the area.
Brief your team on the needle stick risk before starting clearance work each day.

DON'T pick up a discarded needle or syringe with your bare hands under any circumstances.
DON'T attempt to recap, bend, or break a found needle before disposing of it.
DON'T put sharps waste in general waste bags, skips, or standard rubbish bins.
DON'T squeeze or suck a needle stick wound — wash with soap and running water only.
DON'T delay seeking medical treatment — post-exposure drugs are time-critical to work.
DON'T assume a needle is clean because it looks new or unused — treat all as contaminated.
DON'T reach into areas you cannot see during demolition or clearance without checking first.
DON'T refuse Hepatitis B vaccination if your work involves likely exposure to sharps.
DON'T keep a needle stick injury to yourself — the incident must be formally reported.
DON'T rummage through rubble with unprotected hands on any brownfield or demolition site.

See also: Leptospirosis (Weils Disease) | COSHH Awareness

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