8 Biological health and safety

8.1 Syringes and sharps

• Observe good laboratory practice by wearing gloves; latex or nitrile gloves are best.

• Do not re-sheath needles or sharps unless unavoidable due to the nature of the work.

• Remove scalpel blades with a specific scalpel-blade-removing tool.

• Dispose of all syringes and sharps in designated containers (labelled ‘sharps’); when these are full they should be taken for commercial disposal by incineration.

Figure 13 Sharps box