July/August 1999
Needlestick Prevention Bill
Unveiled on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Reducing an estimated 800,000 to 1 million potentially
life-threatening injuries annually from needles and other sharp
instruments is the hope behind new legislation introduced in
Congress on May 20.
The Health Care Worker Needlestick Prevention Act of 1999, (H.R.
1899) sponsored by Reps. Pete Stark ( D-Calif.) and Marge Roukema
(R-N.J.), would have a direct, life-saving impact on the 2.6 million
nurses and millions of other health care workers in the United
States. That includes 360,000 health care workers represented by
AFSCME, which helped craft the legislation.
The legislation would amend the Occupational Safety and Health
Act to require the use of retractable needle syringes and single-use
retractable lancets designed to prevent or minimize the chance of
needlesticks and other cuts from sharps, which can spread any of at
least 20 bloodborne pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis B and C.
“Working in an emergency room, hospital or clinic is like living
a game of Russian Roulette,’’ AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee said.
“Each year, one health care worker in seven suffers a needlestick
injury. And each year, thousands will wait in agony for weeks or
months to learn whether an incident — which could have been
prevented — will cost them their health or their life.’’
Karen Daley, a registered nurse and president of the
Massachusetts Nurses Association, hushed a press conference at the
Capitol with the story of her own tragic needlestick accident last
July. Now infected with HIV and Hepatitis C, she implored Congress
to pass the bill to prevent similar tragedies from happening to
others.
“This injury that wreaked havoc in my life didn’t occur because I
was hasty or sloppy in my practice," she said. “I did everything
within my power — taking the important and necessary precautions
such as wearing gloves — to reduce the risk of exposure to
bloodborne pathogens.’’
Stark acknowledged hospitals will face a higher initial cost to
acquire safer needles and sharps, but he said the cost will come
down as more of the safer equipment comes into use.
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