Jump to content

Needlestick injuries - what is the risk?


Rose_Thorn

Recommended Posts

Having read in a log on one of my caches recently that a cacher found a needle near the location, and it was the third he had round that week, I have wondered just how significant the risk of needlestick injury is when caching. Like most cachers, I guess, I've been scratched and cut by thorns, wire, glass and metal in my time when cache hunting but I haven't previously given much thought to discarded needles, and to be honest, I wouldn't even know how to assess the risk if I did sustain an injury from one.

 

Any comments/advice?

Link to comment

glass , metal, barbed wire, tetanus jab usually clears all that up. Discarded needles a different matter if you see one don't touch it, if you get an injury from one then get a blood test done straightaway,, discarded needles are often used by drug dealers that tend to share needles,, so risk of aids and hepatitis.

Link to comment

If you were to sustain an injury from a discarded needle the first thing you would need to do is go to your doctors or A&E for a tetanus shot. I'm fairly certain that they would then take some blood and conduct a whole barrage of tests just to make sure you hadn't contracted anything nasty.

 

Fortunately, I've not come across anything like this, or even been to areas where I've suspected it might be a problem, but it should be one of those things we bear in mind. We really are mad just to go poking about in bushes and undergrowth!

Link to comment

The chance of an injury is probably low but the associated risk and the worry that goes with a needlestick injury is very high. I work with a girl who had a needlestick injury a couple of years ago (not caching). She needed blood tests and had months of worry until till she got the all clear. I wouldn't want to see anyone go though that unnecessarily. Personally I would go and check out the cache area and make sure that the area is still safe. If the area has degraded a little since you originally hid the cache then maybe it's time to rethink the hide.....

Link to comment

the two main risks from a stick injury are probably tetanus and Hepatitis B. Both have vaccines, and i would suggest every cacher should be fully up to date on at least tetanus. Hep B is available to all health care workers (which is why i'm up to date) but you may be able to talk your GP into giving you the jabs if you 'suggest' that part of your main hobby involves litterpicking in areas with needles from drug users (or a similar exaggeration...) Probably worth it for piece of mind.

 

HIV is probably less of a risk. The number of people infected is much lower, and the chance of transferrance from a known source is also fairly low (I don't have the figures, but about 1 in 20 or lower i seem to remember...

 

Personally, whenever i'm shoving my hands on odd places that i can't see into, i have an old pair of leather driving loves on - mainly cos i have a phobia of thorns!! <_<

Link to comment

the two main risks from a stick injury are probably tetanus and Hepatitis B. Both have vaccines, and i would suggest every cacher should be fully up to date on at least tetanus. Hep B is available to all health care workers (which is why i'm up to date) but you may be able to talk your GP into giving you the jabs if you 'suggest' that part of your main hobby involves litterpicking in areas with needles from drug users (or a similar exaggeration...) Probably worth it for piece of mind.

 

HIV is probably less of a risk. The number of people infected is much lower, and the chance of transferrance from a known source is also fairly low (I don't have the figures, but about 1 in 20 or lower i seem to remember...

 

Personally, whenever i'm shoving my hands on odd places that i can't see into, i have an old pair of leather driving loves on - mainly cos i have a phobia of thorns!! <_<

I always use a pokey stick - especially in countries with snakes, scorpions etc

 

That applies to needles too!

Link to comment

I've walked away from caches rather than stick my hand into a blind hole, in "that sort" of area - you pretty quickly get a feel for where you're likely to get a problem. Most people who discard needles aren't looking to hide them - that's why you see them left out in the open - so the chances of there being one in the hole you're sticking your hand in are even lower than you might think. But the potential consequences if you DID get a stick are serious enough, that it's not worth risking just for one more smiley.

Link to comment

Have never found needles but it's always in the back of our minds having been to a cache where previous logs have mentioned it being a problem, also after being bitten by a spider at the end of last summer I'm always very cautious where I stick my hand 23.gif and will always use a 'pokey stick'. We're always very wary about letting the kids hunt for a cache, so will assess the area carefully on arrival at GZ.

 

Donna

Link to comment

I'm very new to geocaching and spent last weekend happily hunting. One cache was near a site that discarded household rubbish, I think quite illegally with its waste lots of glass from broken greenhouse pains. In our team we have two small children and it concerned me to say the least.

 

To find used needles sickens me, a threat I had never thought of TBH. So thanks for the heads up, its something I will remember when choosing caches to find.

 

Cheers The Mad MG's

Edited by The Mad MG's
Link to comment

I know its a risk - people have been 'needled' from hunting and grubbing round. But I think we've got to be careful about scaring ourselves. I mean compare it to driving on the motorways. The motorways, statistically, are the safest roads to drive on in the UK. Unfortunately, when something does go wrong though, it usually goes wrong in a big way. Yet its a risk we accept. We've weighed it up and we've thought our gains are more than our 'perceived' possibility of losses.

 

Same with needle attack. The chance in a rural setting of hypo needles (compared to pine and gorse!) is slim. But the day I find ground zero is a urine aroma, grubby stinking car park stairwell with dubious sleeping bags, cardboard boxes and a skinny dog on a chain... I have a much higher possibility of finding a needle there and just by judging the area I ain't gonna go hunting a cache there! <_<

 

And how many caches are in that type of scenario / location? Hardly any. As I say, its about perception of risk.

Link to comment

i have had the pleasure of coming across such paraphernalia a couple of times whilst caching, very classy areas i have to say.

 

the main thing is for the owner to pick areas a little more suitable but also caches should never be hidden where you have to stick your hand beyond sight to 'grab' the cache.

Link to comment

Other outdoor activities are much more risky. Hepetitis C is associated with orienteering becuase there was a large outbreak in Sweden some years ago. Someone with the disease who was wearing a T shirt ran past a thorn bush and scratched their arm. Everybody else who ran through then got innoculated.

Link to comment

Surely it is up to those laying the caches to avoid potentially dangerous sites? Several caches we have attempted over the years have been laid in the most dreadfully filthy areas, teeming with litter, beer cans and other junk (possibly needles). We would not dream of laying a cache in such an area.

Link to comment

Surely it is up to those laying the caches to avoid potentially dangerous sites? Several caches we have attempted over the years have been laid in the most dreadfully filthy areas, teeming with litter, beer cans and other junk (possibly needles). We would not dream of laying a cache in such an area.

 

Yup, but we still do those caches and log them for some reason.

Link to comment

Surely it is up to those laying the caches to avoid potentially dangerous sites? Several caches we have attempted over the years have been laid in the most dreadfully filthy areas, teeming with litter, beer cans and other junk (possibly needles). We would not dream of laying a cache in such an area.

 

Yup, but we still do those caches and log them for some reason.

 

Remember

 

"Geocaching -takes you to places you might otherwise never have visited" :anibad:

 

G

Link to comment

Surely it is up to those laying the caches to avoid potentially dangerous sites? Several caches we have attempted over the years have been laid in the most dreadfully filthy areas, teeming with litter, beer cans and other junk (possibly needles). We would not dream of laying a cache in such an area.

 

Yup, but we still do those caches and log them for some reason.

 

Ah... I see where you're coming from (well, I think I do! :anibad:) in that we say that a cache placer should place the cache that is in a safe place.... BUT if that's the case, what about the caches in rivers, up cliffs, on bridges, in tunnels etc? I'm not suggesting for one cotton pickin' minute that those caches should go! I don't have any hugely physically exciting caches myself but I have done a few and I definitely see that the responsibility to get the cache is MY decision. The cache placer has just placed a cache there and its my call whether I want to go and hunt it. I would also apply the same logic to a cache placed in an area that had needles. Once I spotted a needle - STOP, go elsewhere.

 

Whilst everything is based on guidelines :D:D I sincerely hope that others would do something similar.

Link to comment

Only once have I ever come across needles....they were a few metres from the actual cache but the owner did ask for feedback because he had a feeling the place was a bit dodgey...so when I told him what I'd found and where, he went and checked for himself and then removed the cache. He was happy to remove it and thanked me for letting him know. We all want to be safe when caching....

 

Pointy sticks are a good idea though!!! :-)

Link to comment

It's worth bearing in mind that any area can deteriorate and/or improve in a very short space of time. If you ever see anything at a cache site that gives you cause for concern, contact the owner and make them aware. Chances are they may not know about it.

 

Lee

As well as contacting the cache owner, if it's needles we suggest contacting the local council/parks department if the cache is on local authority maintained land .

Link to comment

Yep, the cache that brought this to mind (one of mine) is on the edge of a large park that has several other caches in it (owned by other people) and is regularly used for runs, mountain biking, orienteering and outdoor activities with schools. I will notify the park authorities as they may be unaware that the problem exists in this corner of the park.

 

Thanks for all the advice folks.

Link to comment

If you get a needlestick injury from an unknown source attend your local A+E department. You will be given a tetanus vacccination and start an accelerated Hepatitis B vaccination series.

 

You will be councilled regarding the risk of HIV (small) and whether you wish to take PEP (post exposure prophylaxis - NOT a vaccine - which will reduce your risk, but is not nice). There is no treatment for Hepatitis C. Your blood will be taken for storage - there is no point in doing tests acutely.

 

The risks are small that you will be infected, even if stuck with a freshly used needle full of infected blood you have a ~1:300 risk.

 

Play safe.

 

Dr. Malinky

Link to comment

Having read in a log on one of my caches recently that a cacher found a needle near the location, and it was the third he had round that week, I have wondered just how significant the risk of needlestick injury is when caching. Like most cachers, I guess, I've been scratched and cut by thorns, wire, glass and metal in my time when cache hunting but I haven't previously given much thought to discarded needles, and to be honest, I wouldn't even know how to assess the risk if I did sustain an injury from one.

 

Any comments/advice?

 

As a newbie in March 2006, my first Motorway Mayhem caches was M40 jct 11. [GCTX68]

The environment was littered with rubbish of all varieties including food from the nearby burger van, soiled nappies, needles and other drug associated apliances [strange tubes/ containers with odd holes etc]

Reported the matter on my log but the cache owner deleted it !

I still read in others logs that the place is a mess and I do wonder if we really need this sort of cache in this country ! :laughing::D:D

Link to comment

Someone I know of got stuck by a discarded needle in a playing field when picking up a tennis ball. From that he got Hepatitis C :D Sometime later the Police picked him up (apparently simply talking to a homeless person is now a crime!! :D ). They had no evidence to keep him in custody (as he had done nothing wrong!) so let him go but because they found out he was HepC +ve they put two and two together and came up with 47 and convinced themselves that he was a drug dealer!!! ;);):laughing: After that he could barely walk through town without being Stopped-and-searched! Of course, they never found anything because he's just an ordinary joe! Last I heard he was suing the Police for harassment, and all because of a needle :D

Link to comment

I work in the mobile phone industry so I get into some very dubious places!!! :D

 

We get a lot of instruction/training to never press the button in a lift, for a high rise (block of flats) as it is very common to place "snapped" off needles in the lift buttons!! B) I always carry a screwdriver, just to press the lift buttons. :):D

 

We use to carry a "sharps" box to collect the needles we found, but we then had a problem of getting rid of what we have found. About a year ago, on a typical "city" site we could pick up about 5 "sharps" a day.

 

Worst site I visited, East End of London, could have picked up +50 :laughing::D

 

Did actually come across a dead "druggy" about a year ago which was not that nice :D:D

 

Very sad to say, that at a very "rural" site in Lincolnshire we found about 4-5 "sharps" only last week ;)

 

Just trying to say "BE CAREFUL",you can come across a "sharp" anywhere! ;);):D:D:(

 

Nick

Link to comment

If you get a needlestick injury from an unknown source attend your local A+E department. You will be given a tetanus vacccination and start an accelerated Hepatitis B vaccination series.

 

You will be councilled regarding the risk of HIV (small) and whether you wish to take PEP (post exposure prophylaxis - NOT a vaccine - which will reduce your risk, but is not nice). There is no treatment for Hepatitis C. Your blood will be taken for storage - there is no point in doing tests acutely.

 

The risks are small that you will be infected, even if stuck with a freshly used needle full of infected blood you have a ~1:300 risk.

 

Play safe.

 

Dr. Malinky

 

Having been bitten by someone with Hep C just before Christmas and then spending 3 hours at A + E - I can say that the above is exactly right (although the risks from the various diseases slightly differ depending on who you talk to).

 

The obvious advice is NEVER put your hands anywhere your eyes can't see............

Link to comment

Having read in a log on one of my caches recently that a cacher found a needle near the location, and it was the third he had round that week, I have wondered just how significant the risk of needlestick injury is when caching. Like most cachers, I guess, I've been scratched and cut by thorns, wire, glass and metal in my time when cache hunting but I haven't previously given much thought to discarded needles, and to be honest, I wouldn't even know how to assess the risk if I did sustain an injury from one.

 

Any comments/advice?

 

As a newbie in March 2006, my first Motorway Mayhem caches was M40 jct 11. [GCTX68]

The environment was littered with rubbish of all varieties including food from the nearby burger van, soiled nappies, needles and other drug associated apliances [strange tubes/ containers with odd holes etc]

Reported the matter on my log but the cache owner deleted it !

I still read in others logs that the place is a mess and I do wonder if we really need this sort of cache in this country ! <_<;):P

 

I placed this log entry for a cache last September that was a surrounded by rubbish, including used/soiled sanitary items (nappies and other more adult items)...

 

Found it, but not sure I really wanted to.

Having got home and read all the previous logs, only some cachers have mentioned the rubbish that is strewn around, but let's be honest, it is not the most salubrious of locations. I guess those that visited when the nettles were high got off likely. This really is a good location for practicing CITO. Unfortunately I hadn't come prepared with a couple of black bin bags and I didn't have a few hours to spend here.

 

The reply I got from the owner was ... 'grow up'

 

So yes be careful, but don't expect all owners to give a dadgum.

Link to comment

If you get a needlestick injury from an unknown source attend your local A+E department. You will be given a tetanus vacccination and start an accelerated Hepatitis B vaccination series.

 

You will be councilled regarding the risk of HIV (small) and whether you wish to take PEP (post exposure prophylaxis - NOT a vaccine - which will reduce your risk, but is not nice). There is no treatment for Hepatitis C. Your blood will be taken for storage - there is no point in doing tests acutely.

 

The risks are small that you will be infected, even if stuck with a freshly used needle full of infected blood you have a ~1:300 risk.

 

Play safe.

 

Dr. Malinky

 

Having been bitten by someone with Hep C just before Christmas and then spending 3 hours at A + E - I can say that the above is exactly right (although the risks from the various diseases slightly differ depending on who you talk to).

 

The obvious advice is NEVER put your hands anywhere your eyes can't see............

 

Hmmm. Good advice and usually heeded but one slight error of judgement and pow. Now, though, I have a three month wait to see what happens after today's little escapade. Sheesh, I don't know, I was losing interest in caching for some reason and then all of a sudden while on holiday, I got a burst of enthusiasm and did some caches. Today I renewed my premium membership and set off to do more and look what happens. The cache in question is in a reasonable area but I approached it from a direction that the setter may not have thought about. Underneath the arches of a bridge lurked a dark corner and a dirty little stabby syringe. Lovely. The coords for the cache were fine once near the site, but the signal was bouncing around all over the place an it led me entirely the wrong way.

 

Two hours in A&E and a bit of a scare later, I have a few weeks' entertaining thoughts with which to occupy myself ...

 

I still found the cache though.

Link to comment

If you get a needlestick injury from an unknown source attend your local A+E department. You will be given a tetanus vacccination and start an accelerated Hepatitis B vaccination series.

 

You will be councilled regarding the risk of HIV (small) and whether you wish to take PEP (post exposure prophylaxis - NOT a vaccine - which will reduce your risk, but is not nice). There is no treatment for Hepatitis C. Your blood will be taken for storage - there is no point in doing tests acutely.

 

The risks are small that you will be infected, even if stuck with a freshly used needle full of infected blood you have a ~1:300 risk.

 

Play safe.

 

Dr. Malinky

 

Having been bitten by someone with Hep C just before Christmas and then spending 3 hours at A + E - I can say that the above is exactly right (although the risks from the various diseases slightly differ depending on who you talk to).

 

The obvious advice is NEVER put your hands anywhere your eyes can't see............

 

Hmmm. Good advice and usually heeded but one slight error of judgement and pow. Now, though, I have a three month wait to see what happens after today's little escapade. Sheesh, I don't know, I was losing interest in caching for some reason and then all of a sudden while on holiday, I got a burst of enthusiasm and did some caches. Today I renewed my premium membership and set off to do more and look what happens. The cache in question is in a reasonable area but I approached it from a direction that the setter may not have thought about. Underneath the arches of a bridge lurked a dark corner and a dirty little stabby syringe. Lovely. The coords for the cache were fine once near the site, but the signal was bouncing around all over the place an it led me entirely the wrong way.

 

Two hours in A&E and a bit of a scare later, I have a few weeks' entertaining thoughts with which to occupy myself ...

 

I still found the cache though.

 

Hope everything goes ok,

Link to comment

Just thought I would add my experience of this topic. I recently set a new cache and the next day when the cache was found some idiot had dumped a whole plastic bags worth of used needles within a foot or two. They were not there when I placed the cache as I had sat on the grass bank next to the site taking the GPS readings and obviously would not have put anyone at risk. After a photo was uploaded to my cache page, I contacted Birmingham City Council and the needles were removed the same day. (GC1GWDD).

Link to comment

 

<big snip>

Hope everything goes ok,

 

Cheers, Mongoose.

 

... And this is how long it takes to make sure everything's ok (it is :D ) after such an event. You have to wait ages after the jabs before the blood tests can assessed for immunity to hepatitis.

 

Note to self: get some gloves and a torch.

Link to comment

 

<big snip>

Hope everything goes ok,

 

Cheers, Mongoose.

 

... And this is how long it takes to make sure everything's ok (it is ;) ) after such an event. You have to wait ages after the jabs before the blood tests can assessed for immunity to hepatitis.

 

Note to self: get some gloves and a torch.

 

Glad to hear it :santa:

Link to comment

Yep, the cache that brought this to mind (one of mine) is on the edge of a large park that has several other caches in it (owned by other people) and is regularly used for runs, mountain biking, orienteering and outdoor activities with schools. I will notify the park authorities as they may be unaware that the problem exists in this corner of the park.

 

Thanks for all the advice folks.

 

Thats one of the benefits of asking for permission. I work for Essex County council and look after the Education for 9 country parks, all of which have caches in and we have only once been asked for permission! If the rangers knew where they were going to go we would be able to advise if not appropriate.

 

Not that I have a problem with cachers................... in fact because of all you lovely people showing what a good job you do of maintaining your hobby, those of you living in or near Essex are up for a real treat at Easter, keep it free its going to be a biggun!

 

Perhaps a simple solution would be to indicate the possibility on the co ordinates sheet. Wear gloves or not suitable for young children etc.

 

jo

Link to comment

Having read in a log on one of my caches recently that a cacher found a needle near the location...

Any comments/advice?

 

1000+ caches and I've seen a few needles. No sticks. Needles are discarded. Not carefully hidden like a cache. You are more likely to step on one onthe way to the cache than while retrieving the cache itself.

 

Gloves are good for reaching where you can't see where you think there maybe a something you don't want to be bitten buy (critter or needle). It pays to keep in mind that gloves have their limits. I use leather for dealing with roses and still have to be careful lest I get pricked. Critters bite harder than roses, and needles are sharper than the thorns.

Edited by Renegade Knight
Link to comment

It's worth bearing in mind that any area can deteriorate and/or improve in a very short space of time. If you ever see anything at a cache site that gives you cause for concern, contact the owner and make them aware. Chances are they may not know about it.

 

Lee

Normally as you approach you do get an indication of what the area is like. Where I've found needles (under trees) the increase in litter was a sign the area was less used and a little more hidden. Apparently perfect for using and discarding.

 

When users discard they wont' go to great lengths to hide the needle but they will make use of anything convenient that would conceal the needle. Under a bench, in the crack of a bridge abutment etc.

 

In the health profession you are more likely to jab yourself on accident than while caching.

Link to comment

The Health Protection Agency carried out a seven year study of needle stick injuries within the medical professions, of the 2140 cases examined, there were no reports of HIV or Hep B infection but markers for Hep C developed in nine people. So you see the chances of getting a Blood Bourne Virus (BBV) are very low.

In saying that, the first thing you should do (ok second thing after swearing) if you do get a needle stick injury is to squeeze the injured part and make it bleed then wash the effected part (we carry alcohol gel in our caching bag), and in the next couple of days see your GP.

Link to comment

It very difficult to catch HIV even if your having unprotected sex with some one who got it. In fact a lot of HIV positive mothers will not pass it onto their children. HIV can only survive outside a body for a very short period of time. But other infection I don't know as much about. Go straight to A&E if you happen to accidentally prick yourself.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...