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Sharps handling - The Awareness and Handling of Discarded Needles (Sharps) and Drug-Related Waste

  • Duration1 Day
  • Delagates10 max
  • Price£845 +VAT

Course Outline - Sessions

  1. The Sharps Problem

    Scale and source of the problem, locations, booby trapping, basics of a Safer Working System and practical exercise.

  2. Nature and Diversity of the Risks

    Viral diseases and vaccinations, signs of drug use and contaminated items and practical exercise.

  3. Hygiene

    Routes of entry into the body, personal hygiene and practical exercise.

  4. Additional Risks

    Blood and body fluids, people risks and practical exercise.

  5. First Aid

    First aid and final practical.

  6. Summary and Discussions

Who would benefit from this course?

People who are required to deal with discarded  sharps and / or who work in environments where needles are frequently found, for example, street wardens, hostel workers, housing officers and voids clearance teams, to name but a few.

Course objectives

The interactive, hands on workshop, aims to raise the awareness of the risks of discarded sharps/needles, how to adopt safer working practices when handling objects where needles could be hidden within them, and how to develop procedures for minimising risk. Each delegate will take part in practical exercises to identify best practice, and will leave with a full understanding of how to work safely in risk environments.

During the course, participants will learn

  • Why drug-related litter has become such a problem;
  • Where sharps may be found, hidden, or even used as booby-traps;
  • Safer working practices to minimise the risk of needlestick injury;
  • Useful techniques and methods to employ when handling items where needles may be present;
  • How to better organise complex search and clear operations;
  • About additional risks when working near blood and body fluids;
  • Personal hygiene best practices and equipment cleaning;
  • first-aid measures for needlestick injuries or self-contamination.

Course Fees

For in-house training, this course is currently charged at £845 plus VAT. Up to 10 delegates may attend the session, making this a cost-effective way (less than £85 per person) of training your staff.

All costs are based on carrying out the training at your premises - we ask you to provide the training room and flip chart.

Depending upon location and timings, a contribution towards travel and accommodation costs might be requested, but these will be agreed with you before your order is confirmed.

This course is approved by the Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board.