Title : Improving the management of sharps bin disposal on general surgical wards to enhance staff safety in a Birmingham Hospital
Abstract:
Background: Overfilled sharps bins represent a persistent and under-recognised risk to staff safety, particularly in high-turnover environments such as general surgical wards. Needlestick injuries resulting from unsafe disposal practices are associated with significant occupational and psychological harm. This audit aimed to evaluate current sharps bin compliance, identify systemic gaps in disposal protocols, and implement a targeted intervention to improve practice.
Methods: A two-cycle prospective audit was conducted on general surgical wards across a major UK teaching hospital. Baseline data were collected over ten working days to quantify compliance with sharps bin disposal policy. An educational intervention—comprising strategically placed information posters highlighting safe disposal protocols—was introduced. A second cycle was then conducted using the same methodology to assess impact.
Results: Initial compliance with safe sharps bin disposal was 60% (n=309 bins). Following the intervention, compliance improved to 81% (n=357 bins), representing a 35% relative increase. Notably, the number of compliant bins increased despite a rise in total bins observed, suggesting both improved behaviour and scalability of the intervention. The overall risk rating decreased from medium to low-moderate, with qualitative feedback indicating increased staff awareness and confidence in reporting overflowing bins.
Conclusion: A simple, low-cost intervention led to a substantial and sustainable improvement in sharps bin disposal practices. These findings highlight the power of targeted staff education in enhancing compliance and reducing occupational risk. We recommend broader implementation across surgical specialties and further evaluation of complementary interventions such as digital bin monitoring or ward-specific accountability frameworks.
