2. Devices, trays and the bin that is actually used

Safer devices

Where a safer sharp exists and is reasonably practicable, it should be the default, not the expensive option in a cupboard. Training on activation of the safety feature is part of the device. A safety needle that nobody knows how to lock is theatre.

Do not recap as a sport

Two-handed recapping is a classic injury. If a device must be recapped, use a single-handed technique or a recapping aid the practice has agreed — and only when the device design requires it. Better: a safety device that removes the need.

Pass and park

Do not pass an exposed sharp hand-to-hand. Use a tray or a neutral zone. Park burs and wires so they are not a minefield in a napkin on the patient’s chest.

Bins

Correct colour and type for the waste stream, at the point of use, never over the fill line, never pushed down with a hand, never on the floor in a walkway. Temporary closure between uses if that is the bin design. Assemble the bin as the manufacturer says. A cardboard box under the sink is not a sharps bin.

Lab work and wires

Orthodontic wire ends and matrix bands cut people. Same rules: visible, contained, not in a uniform pocket “until later”.