The US-American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a joint safety
communication with OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH), which strongly encourages surgeons and other healthcare
professionals to use safer, blunt-tip suture needles instead of standard
sharps. Blunt-tip suture needles can be a safer alternative, reducing the risk
of needlestick injuries from suture needles by 69 percent.

Despite the availability of blunt-tip suture needles and the endorsement of
their use by professional organizations, needlestick injuries are on the rise
in surgical settings. OSHA, together with FDA and NIOSH, has been working to
increase awareness in the healthcare industry that the use of these safer
needles can reduce workers' risk of needlestick injuries by 69 percent and
limit their exposure to Hepatitis, HIV, and other bloodborne pathogens.

The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standard requires the use of safer devices, such
as blunt-tip suture needles, to protect healthcare workers. For more
information, visit OSHA's Safety and Health Topics page on Bloodborne Pathogens
and Needlestick Prevention and the OSHA FAQ on the Needlestick Safety and
Prevention Act.

More info

AplusA-online.de - Source: U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration