Twice in the last 10 days I have had calls from individuals concerned about sharps injury.

One, a waste handler working at a domestic waste recycling operation, was concerned that he and his colleagues were not provided with sharps resistant gloves. He drove many miles to bring me a pair of the gloves provided and they were clearly inadequate for handling mixed recyclable wastes whizzing by on a fast moving conveyor. In another case, a care home (hospice) assistant asked if simple nitrile gloves were sufficient.

In each case, the gloves provided were not suitable, though it was difficult to say much about the latter case as the use of sharps was said to be infrequent – I would have thought it would have been significantly greater in a hospice. In the former, I was told of the repeated cuts and scrapes from all sorts of sharp items, and the frequency with which sharps were identified. That was sufficient to make a robust case for better gloves.

What was clear in both cases that money was at the root of local decisions not to provide a better glove suitable for the purpose. Neither individual was in a union, and neither felt confident to challenge their manager again as each had already been rebuffed for an earlier request.

Looking through the various nursing forums it seems not uncommon that bullying takes place, to persuade individuals NOT to report sharps injury for fear of regulatory intervention. I suppose its much the same as the UK situation, where many companies and their H&S advisers will work hard to avoid RIDDOR reporting, twisting words with the most catholic interpretation of RIDDOR wording to avoid a bad record and possible HSE visit.

Of course, this can lead to entrenchment on both sides, but the decision should be clear. For the waste handler, he opted to move on – there seemed to him to be no reason to stay in an unsecured minimum wage job when he could go to another and be safe. But he has called HSE and an appointment has been made for interview, so I presume this will be carried forward for the protection of others. Will we see a prosecution, for failing to supply the appropriate PPE items?

I have not head back from the care assistant. I doubt if we meet again that he will take this forward as he was obviously concerned about the impact on employment, with this hospice or any other through the agency that provides placements. He is well aware that nobody likes a “troublemaker”.

I have been glad to provide support. It’s not easy for individuals, nor for Blenkharn Environmental in circumstances future contracting will be as rare as hen’s teeth after interventions of this kind. But it is important to stand up and be counted and prevent this bullying attitude to the provision of sharps safety prevention.