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About 20% of
injuries occur before or during use. These injuries usually involve clean needles and
present a lower risk to employees. Up to 70% of needlesticks occur after the needle has
been used (is contaminated) and before disposal. The remaining ten percent of injuries
occur during or after disposal. Three activities included in this 10 % are cleaning up
after a procedure has been completed, carrying out trash, and washing dirty linens. These Adownstream injuries are particularly threatening to the worker because the
source of the needle is generally unknown. |
