Sharps Injuries in Mortuaries and How To Prevent Them

Funeral directors and embalmers have close contact with cadavers and body fluids, which leaves them at risk of sharps injuries and bloodborne infections. Sharps injuries can transmit bloodborne infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. There is also the risk that a serious sharps cut can damage a tendon or nerve, which can be a career-ending injury.

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References
1. N. Kelly, A. Reid, A health and safety survey of Irish funeral industry workers, Occupational Medicine, Volume 61, Issue 8, December 2011, Pages 570–575, https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqr131
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3. Taylor DC, Matson AP, Gibson SD, Glover S, Bartis J, Ruch DS, Richardson WJ. Ulnar Nerve Transection in an Orthopaedic Surgeon Sustained During Surgery: A Case Report and Commentary. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2018 Jan 3;100(1):e2. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.17.00226. PMID: 29298266.