Further, the safer needles were generally accepted by health care workers. Some devices have not been well-accepted in the clinical setting nor associated with a significant decrease in injury rate. Although all major medical device manufacturers market devices with safety features, no standard criteria exist for evaluating the safety claims of these features . Employers implementing needlestick prevention programs should evaluate the effectiveness of various devices in their specific settings. Passive features enhance the safety design and are more likely to have a greater impact on prevention.
Active devices require the health care worker to activate the safety mechanism.
Failure to do so leaves the worker unprotected. Proper use by health care workers is the primary factor in the effectiveness of these devices. An integrated safety design means that the safety feature is built in as an integral part of the device and cannot be removed. This design feature is preferred. An accessory safety device is a safety feature that is external to the device and must be carried to or temporarily or permanently fixed to the point of use.