Proper Use and Placement of Sharps Containers
Proper use and placement of sharps disposal containers are critical components in preventing needlestick injuries in every healthcare setting. While engineered devices and procedural controls play key roles, many injuries still occur during or immediately after disposal — often due to overfilled, improperly placed, or misused sharps containers.
Sharps disposal is regulated by both OSHA and state/local health departments, and failure to follow protocols can result in fines, facility citations, or serious injury to staff.
🗑️ What Belongs in a Sharps Container?
Sharps containers are designed to safely dispose of any instrument that can:
- Cut
- Puncture
- Pierce the skin
Items that must go in:
- Hypodermic needles and syringes
- Lancets
- Blood vials with sharp edges
- IV stylets
- Scalpel blades
- Broken ampules or glass vials
- Suture needles
- Contaminated disposable razors
DO NOT place regular trash, gauze, paper wrappers, or food waste into sharps containers.
📍 Proper Placement Guidelines
Sharps containers must be:
- Easily accessible at the point of use (not down the hall or behind a locked cabinet)
- Mounted within arm’s reach, preferably at eye level
- Positioned in a well-lit area and securely attached to walls or brackets to prevent tipping
Clinical Best Practices:
- Place containers in every room where injections, blood draws, or minor procedures are performed
- In mobile environments (e.g., EMS rigs, home health bags), use portable, lockable sharps bins
- Avoid placing containers above shoulder level or in locations where access is awkward or blocked
🔒 Proper Use Protocols
- Never recap needles before disposal — even if the container is far away
- Do not overfill — dispose of containers when they reach ¾ full (as marked)
- Do not attempt to remove or reuse contents
- If a sharps container is visibly contaminated on the outside, it must be replaced immediately
- Use one-handed technique for disposal whenever possible to avoid unnecessary hand positioning
🚨 Common Safety Violations
- Containers stored under sinks or inside locked drawers
- Overfilled or leaking containers
- Lack of sharps bins in patient rooms or procedural areas
- Staff placing sharps in biohazard bags or cardboard boxes
- Containers not replaced routinely
🧠 Key Takeaways:
- Proper sharps disposal begins with correct container use and location
- Injuries from disposal are completely preventable with good workflow design
- Sharps bins must be convenient, visible, and never overfilled