First, don’t panic. Know that it’s OK. Most needlesticks, splashes, and sharps injuries do not result in the transmission of any worrisome infections, so take a deep breath. This situation usually turns out just fine if you follow up, as needed, with a medical provider.
There were 58 known workplace transmission of HIV and 150 suspected cases of HIV due to workplace exposures. It’s important to follow up with medical care immediately if there has been an exposure.
If you have just had a needlestick or a sharps injury:
- Wash the needlestick site or site of injury with soap and water
- Report what happened to your supervisor, if this occurred while on the job
- Seek medical treatment immediately
If you’ve been splashed with blood or a body fluid:
- Wash splashes to any abrasions, cuts, or non-intact skin with soap and water
- Flush splashes to the eyes with clean water, saline (mild salt water), or sterile eyewash irrigants
- Flush splashes to the nose or mouth with water
- Wash off any other body fluids that have splashed on you
- Report what happened to your supervisor, if this occurred while on the job
- Seek medical treatment immediately for any splashes to the face (eyes, mouth, nose) or on non-intact skin (cuts, abrasions, puncture wounds, sores, burns).
Splashes to intact skin should be washed off, but without splashing mucus membranes (mouth, nose, eyes, etc.) or non-intact skin (cuts, abrasions, sores, burns). This probably poses no risk for major blood-borne illnesses, but please follow safety protocols where you work and check with a medical professional about any exposures.