Thanks Jay
Toe, I didnt say that you didnt have to investigate, just not report if the needle has not been in contact with a BBV etc. see extract below from the doc you posted earlier and this confirms that my interpretation is correct , with no reference being made to RIDDOR reporting, this requirement would only be needed if the seriousness of injury was determined as major or where the needle in question was confirmed as contaminated (over 7 day maybe, but unlikely);
Arrangements in the event of injury
7.—(1) Where an employer is notified of any incident at work in which an employee has
suffered an injury from a medical sharp, the employer must—
(a) record the incident;
(b) investigate the circumstances and cause of the incident; and
(c) take any necessary action to prevent a recurrence.
(2) Additionally, where an employer is notified of any incident at work in which an employee
has suffered an injury caused by a medical sharp that exposed, or may have exposed, the employee
to a biological agent, the employer must—
(a) take immediate steps to ensure that the employee receives medical advice;
(b) ensure that any treatment advised by a registered medical practitioner, including postexposure
prophylaxis, is made available to the employee; and
(c) consider providing the employee with counselling.
(3) In this regulation—
(a) “biological agent” means a micro-organism, cell culture or human endoparasite, whether
or not genetically modified, which may cause infection, allergy, toxicity or otherwise
create a hazard to human health; and
(b) “post-exposure prophylaxis” means a course of treatment of medicine administered to a
person after exposure, or suspected exposure, to a biological agent in order to prevent
infection or development of disease caused by that biological agent.
Notification of injuries
8.—(1) Person “A”, who is an employee or other person working under the supervision and
direction of a healthcare employer or a healthcare contractor, must—
(a) as soon as practicable, notify A’s employer, or any other employee of that employer with
specific responsibility for the health and safety of persons at work, of any incident at
work in which A has suffered an injury from a medical sharp; and
(b) provide when requested by that employer sufficient information as to the circumstances
of the incident to enable the employer to comply with regulation 7.
(2) In the case of an employee or other person working under the supervision and direction of a
healthcare contractor, this regulation only applies to incidents which take place—
(a) S.I. 1977/500, amended by S.I. 1996/1513; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.
(b) S.I. 1996/1513, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.
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(a) on a healthcare employer’s premises; or
(b) under the authority of a healthcare employer.
Extension