Needles have a sharp point which can cause injury and lead to various health problems as well.
Because of this reason, safety is used on a needle. It helps to cover the pointy tip so that it doesn’t cause any injuries.
These are a special type of needles which comes with safety. They are known as safety needles. It is a needle with an inbuilt safety mechanism to minimize the possibility of needlestick injuries amongst healthcare workers and other individuals.
The needle in a safety needle is either permanently attached or removable. There are different types of safety mechanisms used in a needle.
If you want to know about the safety of a needle, follow this article. We will discuss different safety mechanisms used on a needle.
What Is A Safety on a Needle?
It is an extremely important safety device that should be used in any type of needle job. It is absolutely necessary to have the safety cover or safety cap if you plan on working with a hypodermic needle.
The safety cover will protect you from any accidental release of the drug and also protect healthcare workers from accidentally injuring themselves with the needle.
If the safety cover is not properly maintained, then the needle may be dangerous, thereby posing a possible health risk to you or any other person that is working around the needle.
It is extremely important to always make sure that the safety cover is placed correctly on the needle and is properly maintained, especially when disposing of the waste.
The needle should always be handled with care in order to ensure the most safety on a needle job. A contaminated needle can pose a serious safety hazard to the person that is performing the procedure.
It is recommended that whenever a needle is used in a medical procedure that there is a safety device on the needle to prevent any accidental injuries.
Types of Safety on a Needle:
There are various types of safety mechanisms used with safety needles. Here are the three most common safety methods used to prevent needle injuries and maintain safety while using the needle.
- Needle Cover and Cap:
It is the most common safety device used on needles. Using a needle cap or cover for safety is very easy. You only need to put the cap on the needle to cover the pointy tip. It is important for you to make sure that the needle is covered. You will hear a click sound when the cover is fitted perfectly. The other thing that you need to know about safety needle cover is that it helps you to prevent the transfer of infection along with injuries.
- Needle with Hinged Cover and Lock:
This is another common safety mechanism used on a needle. Most of the safety needles come with a hinged cover. It is like a needle cover, but it is connected to the needle with a hinge. A safety needle hinge cover is essentially a cover that has been designed to secure a safety needle. You just need to move the cover on the side when using the needle. After that, you can use one hand to press the cover and lock it over the needle.
- Retractable Needle:
It is a special type of needle which is used for safety purposes. This type of needle is extremely safe. Here, once you use the needle, you can simply retract the needle inside the syringe. It gets locked inside the syringe.