NIOSH: Health care worker monitoring system now tracks sharps injuries, body fluid exposures

Washington – NIOSH has released two electronic modules for tracking sharps injuries, as well as blood and body fluid exposures, among health care workers as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Occupational Health Safety Network.

OHSN analyzes existing injury data to help identify the jobs at greatest risk for injuries in an effort to improve safety interventions and measure their impact. The system also is intended to help both workers and employers determine the root cause of incidents.

“An annual survey of OHSN users shows overwhelming support for a system that helps mitigate high-risk aspects of the health care industry and guides prevention efforts,” NIOSH Director John Howard said in a March 27 press release. “A commitment to a culture of safety that emphasizes continuous monitoring and improvement benefits not only the worker, but the employer as well.”

An estimated 385,000 sharps-related injuries occur each year, according to CDC.