Safer Medical Devices

Safer medical devices must be evaluated annually for their effectiveness in preventing occupational exposures to blood and other potentially infectious materials. Selecting a safer device based solely on the lowest cost is not appropriate, and selection must be based on employee feedback and device effectiveness. If commercially available safer devices are available and appropriate, the use of the safer devices must be implemented.

Examples of safer medical devices are:

• a syringe with a protective shield surrounding the needle; or
• a syringe with a retractable needle; or
• a lancet with a retractable blade; or
• a device with a blunt tip; or
• a device that has no needle.