Needle Safety in Animal Research

• When preparing injections, wear all PPE required by your approved IACUC animal protocol.
• When preparing for injections, it is best practice to draw up the substance into the syringe as close as possible to where it will be administered. Doing so allows users to not need to recap needles between drawing up and administration. Do NOT transport an uncapped needle.
• Depending on protocol requirements, drawing up substances may need to happen in a fume hood or BSC.
• If you must draw up substances prior to administration, recap needles with an approved recapping method. When transporting previously drawn up substances, do so in a puncture proof container (e.g. a plastic tub). Do NOT transport needles in your pockets.
• Do NOT remove needle caps with your mouth.

• Use proper handling techniques to restrain animals during injections and blood draws. If additional help is needed for restraint techniques, contact the RARC trainers.
• If available, use restraint devices to further restrict animal movements in the areas where needles will be inserted.
• Do NOT use or straighten bent needles. Discard bent needles into a sharps container and replace with a new needle.
• Do NOT put hands or fingers in the path of the needle.
• Do NOT rush injections or blood draws. Take your time when preparing and administering substances. Gather all the appropriate materials prior to beginning injections including restraint devices and sharps containers for disposal.

• Bring a sharps container with you so that it is available to directly discard needles after use.
• Do NOT recap needles prior to putting them into the sharps container.
• Do NOT discard needles into trash or autoclave bags. This puts those who discard bags at a greater risk of receiving an accidental needlestick injury.

While the goal is to have zero needlesticks, accidents do happen.

• Wash the needlestick location with soap and water for 15 minutes.
• Apply a bandage to the wound.
• Report the needlestick to your supervisor.
• Fill out the First Report of Biological Exposure (even if it’s a chemical hazard and no biologicals are present).
• Fill out an Employee Work Injury and Illness Report  Read the section titled “How do I Report a Worker’s Compensation Claim?” and follow the instructions.
• Supervisors must complete the Supervisor Incident Analysis and Prevention Report and email the form with the completed Employee’s Work Injury and Illness Report to their Human Resources Representative within one work day (8 business hours) of learning of an employee’s work-related injury or illness.
• If a needlestick occurs with a clean needle through your dirty gloves, follow the above cleaning and reporting steps.

• Recapping needles is the most common time when needlesticks occur.

• If the above table indicates that you may be allowed to recap needles, please fill out and submit the  Needlestick Risk Assessment for Animal Users form.
• For additional questions or scenarios that are not listed, please contact the Animal Research Safety Team.

If after the risk assessment, recapping of needles has been approved, the one-handed technique should be used.

Below are some examples of needle safety supplies and resources. There are many manufacturers who make these types of devices. Check with your preferred supplier to see if they offer similar options:

• Vanish Point Retractable needles for blood collection and injections
• Scruff Guard for restraint assistance
• LabArt Restraint Device for restraint assistance
• BD Luer-lok Syringes for blood collection and injections
• Sol-Care Safety Needles for blood collection and injections

• One handed scoop technique.
• Use a needle recapping device. Several manufacturers make versions of these devices.