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Safety anesthetic syringe
Also called: disposable safety syringe, sheathing syringe
A disposable syringe with a built-in sliding guard that covers the needle after use.
A safety syringe has a protective sheath that slides over the needle when the injection is done, so no one has to recap it by hand. It is an example of an engineering control (equipment designed to prevent needlesticks), which OSHA expects employers to consider.
How to spot it
- Plastic body with a sliding outer sleeve that locks over the needle.
What it is used for
- Used in place of a metal syringe in some offices.
Safety and care
- Single-use (disposable) item: use it on one patient, then throw it away. Never clean and reuse it.
- Lock the guard right after use and place the whole unit in the sharps container.
Related
Sources: OSHA. Standard interpretation, 1994-04-29, recapping of contaminated needles (29 CFR 1910.1030), OSHA. Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030