When recapping needles with a one-hand scoop is acceptable

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

September 13, 1990

MEMORANDUM FOR: JOHN B. MILES, JR.
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR

THROUGH: LEO CAREY, DIRECTOR
OFFICE OF FIELD PROGRAMS

FROM: PATRICIA K. CLARK, DIRECTOR DESIGNATE
DIRECTORATE OF COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS

SUBJECT: Recapping Needles

This is in response to your July 17 memorandum and letter from Rosemary E. Patnode, the Northeastern Regional Industrial Hygiene Program Manager for the Department of Veterans Affairs. She inquired about the acceptability of the "one-hand scoop" method of recapping hypodermic needles.

OSHA policy is that recapping of needles, in general, is not appropriate. Used needles are to be placed in sharps disposal containers without recapping. In certain instances in which recapping is unavoidable (e.g. collection of blood for an arterial blood gas analysis), devices such as self-sheathing needles are the preferred method. Other auxiliary devices such as resheathing instruments or forceps may also be used, as may the properly performed one-hand scoop technique.

If a health care facility chooses to establish a hierarchy of preferred methods of recapping which prohibits the one-hand scoop technique, OSHA would consider that response to be an appropriate one.

Our response to Ms. Patnode's specific questions is therefore as follows:

1. Employees should not be permitted to continue routine recapping utilizing the one-hand scoop method.

2. Use of the one-hand scoop method should be limited to situations in which recapping is necessary and no preferable method is available.

[Earlier regional memoranda and requester correspondence reproduced on OSHA page; omitted here.]