We have recently had several clinics sending us samples with used needles in the bags. One of our staff members was stabbed in the finger with a needle that was sent uncapped in the same bag as blood tubes.
Please DO NOT send used needles with your samples to our laboratories – it is an unacceptable and dangerous practice. The used needles pose an extreme hazard to our staff and are of no use to us for diagnostic testing.
PLEASE dispose of all needles appropriately into sharps bins in your clinics and cars before bagging up the samples to send to us.
Thank you for your consideration of standard OHS practices and the well-being of our staff.