De preventie van prikaccidenten in de gezondheidssector. (In het Engels)

Preventing needlestick injuries in the health sector

An agreement to prevent needlestick injuries in hospitals, one of the most widespread and serious risks to health workers across the EU, was welcomed by an overwhelming majority in Parliament on Thursday. The deal was drawn up by EU representativesof hospital employers and workers.

Needlestick injuries in hospitals can result in the transmission of more than 20 life-threatening viruses, including Hepatitis B, C and HIV. In the EU, there are more than one million needlestick injuries every year, says a resolution drafted by Elisabeth Lynne (ALDE, UK)and Pervenche Bérès (S&D, FR) on behalf of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee. A resolution welcoming the agreement was approved by a show of hands.

Parliament has been calling since July 2006 for legislation to protect Europe's healthcare workers from potentially dangerous infections due to injuries with needles and other sharp medical instruments.

The Commission issued a proposal for a Council Directive implementing the agreement signed by the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers' Association (HOSPEEM) and the European Federation of Public Services Union (EPSU).

MEPs recommend adopting and implementing the measures set out in the legislative proposal. "The framework agreement between the Commission and European social partners will represent an important contribution to the protection of health and safety of workers activein the hospital sector", says the resolution. "However, Member States and social partners should be free to adopt additional measures which are more favourable to workers", it adds. 

Referentie van de volledige paper: 
European Parliament. Preventing needlestick injuries in the health sector, 11th February 2010