Name: Unusual Risks Insured
Address: Sydney, AU
Telephone: 1300 137 403

medical sharps disposal yellow plastic bucket

Half of all needlestick and sharps injuries go unreported

In Australia at least 18,000 healthcare professionals report suffering a needle-stick injury (often referred to as NSI or contaminated sharps injury) every year.

The unsettling reality is that between 30-80% of these types of injuries go deliberately unreported so the total number of injuries in the Australian healthcare system are thought to be around 30,000 each year.¹

Around 1 needle-stick injury occurs in every 2 days of hospital operation²

What's the risk of infection?

At least 20 pathogens can be transmitted during these sharps injuries including HIV and Hepatitis B & C³ The chances of being infected that pose the greatest threat are:³

Hepatitis B – approximately 2 in 5 chance
Hepatitis C – approximately 1 in 10 chance
HIV – approximately 1 in 300 chance

Our Nurses are the most at risk

About 40% of healthcare workers who experience an NSI in NSW are registered nurses followed by medical officers with most of the NSIs involving hollow-bore needles

The Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council records that one in nine nurses in Australia has had at least one NSI in the past 12 months.
Infection Control training and education options are available through the Albion Centre Education Unit, phone 02 9332 9720 or

It can happen anywhere

Contaminated sharps injuries pose a real and significant threat to a medical workers health and livelihood with injuries occurring in any medical facility where needles and sharp objects are used, including dental and veterinary clinics, medical research facilities and pathology laboratories.

Unusual risks have a speciality service for nurses, doctors and other medical professionals who are at risk of a contaminated sharps injuries.

Our explainer video about needlestick and sharps injuries (NSI's)

Our case study for nurses and related medical professionals has a useful explainer video about needlestick and contaminated sharps injuries here.

Want to know more? Get in touch with us for a confidential chat or send us an email.

Definitions & data sources

If the skin is punctured by a sharp medical tool like a scalpel or needle on a syringe, it's commonly referred to as a needlestick injury or NSI.

¹ AIHW National Hospital Morbidity Database, Separation statistics by principal diagnosis, Australia 2007-08.

² Medical Journal of Australia, 2002

³ Needlestick Injuries, Canada’s National Occupational Health & Safety

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Drew Browne, Senior Advisor

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The advisor to Unusual Risks Insured: Drew Browne is an Authorised Representative and Sapience Financial Corporation Pty Ltd. ABN 29 086 679 718 is a Corporate Authorised Representative of an Australian Financial Services Licensee AFSL Shartru Wealth Management Pty Ltd #422409 ABN 46 158 536 871. Any information provided is General Advice Only and we have not considered your personal circumstances. Before making any decision on the basis of this advice you should consider if the advice is appropriate for you based on your particular circumstance. Unusual Risks is a Trauma Informed Organisation (TIO) and affirms the Darlington Statement on Intersex Human Rights Australia.

Unusual Risks Insured acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respect to them and their cultures, and Elders, past, present and future.

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Don't ignore a medical sharps injury