WAC 296-823-14005   Use feasible controls, including appropriate equipment and safer medical devices, to eliminate or minimize occupational exposure.  

     You must:

     • Use appropriate equipment and safer medical devices to eliminate or minimize employee exposure.

     • Use work practices designed to eliminate or minimize employee exposure.

     • Examine and maintain or replace equipment and safer medical devices on a regular schedule to make sure they remain effective.

Note:	• Examples of appropriate equipment include:
	– Sharps containers
	– Biosafety cabinets
	– Splash guards
	– Centrifuge cups
	– Specimen storage and transport containers.
	• Examples of safer medical devices include:
	– Sharps with engineered sharps injury protections (SESIP)
	– Needleless systems
	– Blunt suture needles
	– Plastic capillary tubes.
	• Examples of work practices include:
	– No-hands procedures in handling contaminated sharps
	– No hand-to-hand instrument passing.
Definition:	Sharps with engineered sharps injury protections (SESIP) is
	A nonneedle sharp or a needle device used for withdrawing body fluids, accessing a vein or artery, or administering medications or other fluids, with a built-in safety feature or mechanism that effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. 04-12-070, § 296-823-14005, filed 6/1/04, effective 9/1/04; 03-09-110, § 296-823-14005, filed 4/22/03, effective 8/1/03.]