Containers for contaminated sharps must be puncture-resistant. The sides and the bottom must be leakproof. They must be appropriately labeled or color-coded red to warn everyone that the contents are hazardous.

We recommend that researchers prepare to work with sharps by doing the following: Eliminate sharps from procedures or substitute for safer sharps devices as appropriate. Develop written procedures to handle sharps safely. Train all staff working with sharps. Dispose of sharps properly.

Never put your fingers into the sharps container. If the needle has tubing attached to it, hold the needle and the tubing when you put it in the sharps container. Sharps containers should be at eye level and within your reach. If a needle is sticking out of the container, do not push it in with your hands.

All sharps disposal containers should be: made of a heavy-duty plastic; able to close with a tight-fitting, puncture-resistant lid, without sharps being able to come out; upright and stable during use; leak-resistant; and. properly labeled to warn of hazardous waste inside the container.

Keep your hands behind the tip of any sharps. Avoid bringing the hands close to the opening of a sharps container. Never place hands or fingers into a container to facilitate disposal of a device.

Generally, sharps disposal containers are regulated by the FDA as class II devices subject to premarket notification (510(k)) requirements (21 CFR 880.5570; product code MKK and FMI). The FDA recommends health care facilities use FDA-cleared sharps disposal containers for disposal of used needles and other sharps.

All sharps disposal containers should be: made of a heavy-duty plastic; able to close with a tight-fitting, puncture-resistant lid, without sharps being able to come out; upright and stable during use; leak-resistant; and. properly labeled to warn of hazardous waste inside the container.