Sharps Handling

What Is a Sharp and Why Does It Matter?

Sharps are items capable of causing percutaneous injury — a break in the skin that can allow biological, chemical, or radiological materials to enter the body. In research laboratories, sharps include hypodermic needles, scalpel blades, razor blades, Pasteur pipettes, and broken glass. The consequences of a sharps injury range from no effect to serious illness, depending on the materials involved and the speed of the response.

New York State requires that all personnel involved in the procurement, storage, distribution, use, and disposal of sharps comply with applicable requirements, including 6 NYCRR Parts 360–365 (NYS DEC Regulated Medical Waste) and 29 CFR 1910.1030 (OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard). Cornell's EHS program integrates these obligations into lab operations so that compliance is the path of least resistance, not an additional burden.

Understand Risk Before You Start

A documented risk assessment is required before working with sharps in the presence of biological agents, cytotoxic chemicals, radioactive materials, or any material with OPIM (Other Potentially Infectious Materials) status under 29 CFR 1910.1030. The risk assessment must address:

• The agents or materials involved — human materials, viral vectors, cancer cell lines, pathogenic agents, biological toxins, cytotoxic drugs, radiolabeled compounds
• The specific procedures performed and whether needle-free alternatives are available
• The experience level of personnel performing the task
• The available engineering controls (biosafety cabinet, safety-engineered devices, mechanical recapping aids)

Labs working with blood, OPIM as defined under 29 CFR 1910.1030, or any material requiring an Exposure Control Plan must document their consideration of safety-engineered sharps devices in the risk assessment. Risk assessments should be reviewed when procedures, personnel, or materials change.

Reduce Risk: Apply Controls in Order

• Eliminate: Ask whether the procedure can be performed without a sharp at all. Many reagent-transfer and mixing tasks do not require needles.
• Substitute: Use plasticware instead of glassware to reduce breakage. Use blunt-tip needles for non-injection tasks such as chemical handling or drawing up solutions.
• Engineer: Safety-engineered sharps devices — retractable needles, shielded blades, needleless systems — reduce needlestick risk by design. Use Luer-lock syringes whenever a syringe-needle connection is required; the threaded lock prevents needle separation during use. Note that Luer-lock connections do not constitute a safety-engineered device under the OSHA BBP standard.
• Administer: Limit the number of personnel authorized to perform high-risk sharps procedures. Require documented training before first use.
• Protect: Use appropriate PPE for the materials involved. PPE is the last line of defense, not the first.

Best Practices During Use

• Secure needles and syringes when not in use — keyed locks only. Needles and syringes must be stored in a locked secure place. Spring locks and combination dial locks are prohibited; only keyed locks are permitted. Reserve and main stock must be kept in double stationary cabinets, both locked. Items not in reserve or main stock and not actively in use must also be under locked protection (10 NYCRR §80.133(g)).
• Keep sharps containers within arm's reach (W.A.R.) of the point of use. Dispose of each sharp immediately after use into the correct container (see Disposal). Never carry an unsheathed sharp across a room.
• Handle one sharp at a time. Keep sharps visible throughout the procedure.
• Use secondary containment for transport. When sharps must be moved within or between facilities, place the sharps container in a secondary rigid container before transit to prevent tipping and exposure.
• Replace sharps containers at the three-quarters full mark. Overfilled containers create injury risk during disposal. Containers must be puncture-resistant, leak-proof on the sides and bottom, and properly labeled per 6 NYCRR Part 364.

Things to Avoid

• Do not recap needles with two hands. Two-handed recapping is prohibited under 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(2)(vii). Most needlestick injuries during recapping are preventable by eliminating this practice entirely. 
  
  When recapping cannot be avoided: Use the one-hand scoop method (described below) or a mechanical single-use recapping safety device. Recapping exceptions must be documented in the procedure or SOP on file with the lab. Contact EHS Biosafety if CARE or animal procedures are involved before performing any recapping.
• Do not set down an uncapped, unsheathed sharp. If a sharp must be set down temporarily, place it in a clean conical tube or directly into a sharps container.
• Do not use hands to collect broken glass or spilled sharps. Use forceps, tongs, or a broom and dustpan. Never sweep glass with bare or gloved hands.
• Do not bag sharps. Never place needles, blades, or broken glass in a plastic bag or biohazardous bag. Sharps puncture bags and cause injuries to downstream custodial and waste management workers.
• Do not guess on disposal. Refer to the Disposal section below or consult the Lab Waste Guide. An incorrect container creates a regulatory violation and potential injury.

One-Hand Scoop Method for Needle Recapping

1. Place the cap flat on a stable surface. Do not hold the cap with your other hand.
2. Using the hand holding the syringe, guide the needle into the cap using a scooping motion.
3. Once the needle is seated in the cap, use the edge of a hard surface or a one-handed recapping device to press the cap into place.
4. Verify the cap is secure before setting down or transporting the syringe.

Disposal: Choosing the Right Container

Sharps disposal in New York State is governed by 6 NYCRR Parts 360–365 (NYS DEC Solid and Regulated Medical Waste). Federal standards under 29 CFR 1910.1030 and 40 CFR Part 259 apply concurrently. The disposal pathway depends on the contamination status of the sharp — not on its physical form alone. Selecting the wrong container is a regulatory violation; if you are uncertain, contact EHS before disposing.

Container material note — chemically contaminated sharps: Use a rigid, puncture-resistant container that is chemically compatible with the waste. HDPE is appropriate for most solvents; verify compatibility for corrosives and halogenated compounds before selection. The container must carry no biohazard symbol and must be labeled "Hazardous Waste" with chemical constituents and accumulation start date. Submit a hazardous waste pickup request through EHS; do not place in a red or yellow sharps container.

Mixed-hazard sharps (e.g., a needle contacting both a biological agent and a cytotoxic drug) require coordination between EHS Biosafety and EHS Hazardous Materials before disposal. Contact EHS before generating mixed-hazard sharps waste if feasible, or immediately after an unplanned generation event.

If You Are Injured

The steps you take in the first minutes after a sharps injury affect both your health outcome and the institution's ability to provide appropriate follow-up. Act immediately regardless of the apparent severity of the exposure.

1. First aid at the site:
   • Needlestick or cut: Wash thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 seconds. Do not squeeze or massage the wound to express blood.
   • Mucous membrane exposure (eyes, nose, mouth): Flush with water or saline for at least 15 minutes at an eyewash station.

2. Notify your supervisor within 24 hours. Supervisor notification is required under Cornell policy and initiates the workers' compensation reporting timeline under NYS WCL §18.

   Reporting a work-related injury is a protected activity under Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. No adverse action may be taken against any employee or student for reporting an injury or seeking evaluation. If notifying your supervisor is not feasible, contact EHS directly at (607) 255-8200.

3. Seek medical evaluation the same day — business hours.

   Staff and faculty: Seek care from a community provider that treats work-related injury and accepts workers' compensation insurance. An urgent care clinic with occupational medicine services is appropriate for non-life-threatening exposures. Cornell Health Occupational Medicine does not provide workers' compensation services for employees. (Cornell Health — Faculty, Staff & Post-docs; Cornell Health Occupational Medicine scope statement.)

   When you arrive, tell the provider immediately that the injury is occupational in nature and is a potential workers' compensation case. This is required for correct documentation, OSHA recordability determination, and claims processing. A provider who does not record the occupational context may document the visit in a way that complicates or forecloses your workers' compensation claim.

   Under NYS Workers' Compensation Law, Cornell cannot direct you to a specific provider. You have the right to choose any physician authorized by the NYS Workers' Compensation Board. (NYS WCL §13-b; NYS WCB Form C-3.1-F, Notice of Right to Select a Health Care Provider.) Use the NYS WCB provider directory to locate a Board-authorized provider.

   Students: Contact your primary care provider or a community urgent care clinic. Cornell Health can provide consultation and referral at (607) 255-5155 but is not an urgent care or emergency facility. Students requiring workers' compensation-related case management will be referred by Cornell Health to a community provider. (Cornell Health Occupational Medicine.)

   Your post-exposure medical evaluation is confidential. The treating provider will share a limited written opinion with Cornell confirming whether HBV vaccination was indicated and whether any conditions requiring further evaluation were identified. Your specific medical findings are not disclosed to your employer or PI. (29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(3)(i), (f)(5).)

   EHS will coordinate required documentation to your treating provider under 29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(3), including a description of the exposure circumstances and available source material information. Contact EHS at (607) 255-8200 as soon as possible after seeking care. If the source individual is known, EHS will also coordinate source testing for HBV and HIV infectivity after consent is obtained. Results are used to guide post-exposure management and determine whether prophylaxis is indicated.

   Bring documentation of your HBV vaccination history and most recent antibody titer result to your appointment. This information determines whether hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) and/or booster vaccination is indicated. HBV vaccination and titer records for personnel enrolled in medical surveillance programs are held by Cornell Health Occupational Medicine — contact them at (607) 255-5155 during business hours if you need assistance retrieving yours before your appointment.

4. Seek emergency or after-hours care when needed.

   If the exposure involves a large-volume injection, arterial puncture, deep laceration, or any condition requiring immediate evaluation, go directly to Cayuga Medical Center Emergency Department or call 911. Do not drive yourself if you are in acute distress.

   After-hours BBP exposures that cannot wait until the next business day should be evaluated at an urgent care facility or emergency department. Inform the provider that the case is occupational in nature.

   Time-critical thresholds: Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV must be initiated within 72 hours; outcomes are significantly better when started within 2 hours. HBIG, where indicated, is also time-sensitive. Do not wait for the next business day if a BBP exposure has occurred after hours.

5. Report the incident to EHS. Submit a report through the EHS Incident Reporting Portal. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(h) and NYS require Cornell to maintain a sharps injury log; your report initiates that record. Your supervisor must also complete a Cornell Accident Report Form to initiate the workers' compensation claim with the appropriate carrier. (Cornell HR Workers' Compensation.)
6. Preserve information about the source material. If the source is known, retain documentation of the biological, chemical, or radiological agents involved. EHS Biosafety or the RSO will assist with source characterization to guide medical management decisions and coordinate any required source individual testing.

Reporting Near Misses

A near miss is any event that could have caused a sharps injury but did not — a needle that slipped, a container that nearly tipped, a cap that was almost placed by hand. Near misses are leading indicators of system conditions that produce injuries. Reporting them is one of the most effective contributions any lab member can make to campus safety.

Cornell's near-miss reporting program is non-punitive. The goal of every report is to understand the conditions that created the risk — not to assign blame. Reports identify problems in equipment design, procedure design, training, workspace layout, or workload that the individual involved could not have prevented alone. That information allows EHS and the lab to fix the system rather than repeat the same near miss until it becomes an injury.

Submit near-miss reports through the EHS Incident Reporting Portal. Reports can be submitted by the individual involved, by a coworker, or by the PI. Anonymous reporting is available. EHS will follow up within five business days with findings and, where applicable, corrective action recommendations.

Engineering Controls

Engineering controls reduce exposure before it occurs and should be selected before relying on administrative controls or PPE. For sharps work in research settings, relevant engineering controls include:

• Working within a biosafety cabinet when handling infectious materials
• Safety-engineered sharps devices with integrated retraction, shielding, or blunting mechanisms
• Mechanical single-use recapping devices where recapping cannot be eliminated
• Safety shields or barriers during procedures that generate splashes or aerosols
• Sharps disposal containers with integrated, one-hand-operable openings positioned at the point of use

If you identify a procedure that lacks adequate engineering controls, contact EHS for a risk assessment and device evaluation. EHS can assist with selecting devices appropriate for the specific procedure and materials.

Certificate of Need: PI Obligations

Each PI or laboratory director who procures or possesses hypodermic syringes and needles at Cornell is individually responsible for obtaining and maintaining a Certificate of Need (CON) from the NYS DOH Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) under 10 NYCRR §80.133. The institution does not hold a CON on your behalf. The following obligations run to the CON holder — the PI. Contact EHS at (607) 255-8200 with questions.

• Obtain your CON before procurement. The CON must be in hand before syringes or needles are purchased or received. Use the Application for Certificate of Need (DOH-2278). The CON must designate the individuals authorized to have custody and the individual responsible for supervising use (10 NYCRR §80.133(b),(d)).
• Maintain a running inventory. Record the type, size, and number of each item purchased; distribution made; balance on hand; and date of receipt or disposition (10 NYCRR §80.133(h)(2)). The EHS Needle & Syringe Log is the institutional tool for meeting this requirement.
• Take a physical inventory each June 30. An annual physical inventory must be taken on June 30 and entered into the running inventory record (10 NYCRR §80.133(h)(3)).
• Report loss or theft immediately to NYSDOH BNE. Any discovered loss or theft must be recorded and reported immediately to NYSDOH upon discovery, including the kind, number, and date of discovery (10 NYCRR §80.133(h)(4)). Notify EHS at (607) 255-8200 simultaneously; EHS can assist with the required report. Do not delay notification pending confirmation that a discrepancy is a counting error.
• Report custodial or supervisory personnel changes within 30 days. Any change in the individuals designated on the CON as custodial officer or supervisory person must be reported to NYSDOH within 30 days (10 NYCRR §80.133(e)). This includes lab personnel transitions and PI changes. Notify EHS so the CON record can be updated.
• Report location changes within 30 days. Any change in the designated location of use must be reported to NYSDOH within 30 days (10 NYCRR §80.133(f)). This includes lab relocations and room changes. Notify EHS before or immediately upon any such move.
• Storage: keyed locks only; double cabinets for main stock. Syringes and needles must be stored in a locked secure place. Spring locks and combination dial locks are prohibited. Reserve and main stock must be kept in double stationary cabinets, both locked (10 NYCRR §80.133(g)). See Best Practices above for operational storage guidance.
• Disposal: render inoperable. Syringes and needles no longer usable or required must be rendered inoperable prior to disposal, consistent with universal precautions (10 NYCRR §80.133(i)). See Disposal above for container selection.

Resources and Contacts

• EHS Incident Reporting Portal — injuries, exposures, and near misses
• EHS main line: (607) 255-8200 — exposure documentation coordination, source material characterization
• Lab Waste Guide — complete waste stream decision tool
• e-SHOP — approved sharps containers and safety equipment
• EHS Biosafety — risk assessments, IBC protocols, biosafety cabinet use, exposure consultation
• EHS Hazardous Materials — chemical waste, mixed-hazard sharps disposal
• Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) — radioactive sharps disposal coordination
• NYS WCB Provider Directory — locate a Board-authorized occupational health or urgent care provider (staff and faculty)
• Cornell HR Workers' Compensation — Accident Report Form, claims process
• Cornell Health: (607) 255-5155 — 24/7 consultation and referral for students; HBV vaccination and titer records for personnel enrolled in medical surveillance programs (Cornell Health Occupational Medicine, business hours)
• Emergency: 911

Regulatory references: 29 CFR 1910.1030 (OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens); 10 NYCRR §80.133 (NYS DOH Certificate of Need — Hypodermic Syringes and Needles); NYS Education Law §811 (confirmation pending re: PI vs. institutional obligation); 6 NYCRR Parts 360–365 (NYS DEC Solid and Regulated Medical Waste); 40 CFR Part 261 (RCRA Hazardous Waste); USP Chapter <800> (Hazardous Drugs); 10 CFR Part 20 (NRC Radiation Protection); NYS WCL §13-b (provider choice); OSH Act §11(c) (anti-retaliation). Last reviewed: May 2026.