What is Considered a Sharp?

I have received several queries about plastic pipette tips and whether they must be considered a sharp when they are disposed of and, as a result, placed in a sharps container. There has been discussion as to whether this is an OSHA or DOT regulation. When OSHA was contacted through the Denver office, it indicated that there was no OSHA regulation regarding plastic pipette tips being declared a sharp and having to be placed in a sharps container.

However, in the CFR 173.134 reads, in part, “Sharps means any object contaminated with a pathogen or that may become contaminated with a pathogen through handling or during transportation and also capable of cutting or penetrating skin or packaging material. Sharps include needles, syringes, scalpels, broken glass, culture slides (glass), culture dishes (glass), broken capillary tubes, broken rigid plastic, and exposed ends of dental wires.” According to the definition, only broken glass or plastic is considered a sharp. The potential to break is not specifically addressed.

The issue then becomes, will the plastic tips puncture the red bag and cause the healthcare worker potential exposure? Each facility should address this issue in its safety committee and come up with a policy and procedure for dealing with this type of waste.