Abstract
BACKGROUND: The frequency of work accidents involving exposure to biological materials (WAEMB) is significantly increasing. The most relevant epidemiological consequences of this type of accidents are due to the transmission of pathogens including the human immunodeficiency and hepatitis B and C viruses. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of a prevention and training program to reduce the incidence of WAEMB at a teaching hospital along 8 years of implementation. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study based on data obtained from the hospital Human Resource Technology Department. We analyzed records of 1,445 hospital employees who suffered sharps injuries. RESULTS: About 50% of the incidents were caused by inadequate sharps disposal. The overall rate of sharps injuries decreased by 0.21%/year and that of accidents due to inadequate sharps disposal by 0.36%. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate that the implemented program was associated with significant reduction of the incidence of WAEMB.