Copyright 2000 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Inc.
St.
Louis Post-Dispatch
December 3, 2000, Sunday, FIVE STAR LIFT
EDITION
SECTION: EVERYDAY MAGAZINE, Pg. E3
LENGTH: 314 words
HEADLINE:
ILLINOIS, MISSOURI LEGISLATORS PUSH FOR NEEDLESTICK LAWS
BYLINE: Marianna Riley
BODY:
It's been slow, but legislators are starting to listen to the pleas
about needlestick dangers from nurses and organizations
representing health-care workers, including the 710,000-member Service Employees
International Union.
Members of that union lobbied Congress for about
eight years, asking for legislation that would mandate safer needles and other
devices. On the federal level, the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act was
signed into law by President Bill Clinton on Nov. 6 after it passed both the
House and Senate in October. The legislation, which had bipartisan support,
provides for protection under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration,
or OSHA.
Among other things, the new law mandates that employers make
use of safer medical devices and keep detailed records about injuries when they
do occur.
In 1998, California was the first to pass legislation
requiring safer needles, and 15 other states have followed suit. Missouri and
Illinois are not among them.
In Missouri, Rep. Joan Barry, D-Oakville
and herself a nurse, is one of several state legislators who has worked for such
legislation.
Although unsuccessful in the last legislative session, she
plans to introduce the legislation again next session. Among other things, her
bill requires in-service training about needlesticks and will mandate use of the
safety devices, while allowing hospitals time to make their own evaluations of
the devices.
In Illinois, Rep. Thomas Dart, D-Chicago, also introduced
needlestick legislation and then watched it pass the Illinois House of
Representatives and die in the Senate.
"I'm frankly absolutely stunned
to learn the number of people who are not only injured but dying when prevention
measures are so inexpensive. If ever there was a role for government, this is
it," he said.
He said he'll try again next session.
LOAD-DATE: December 5, 2000 
