Designation:F2878−10StandardTestMethodforProtectiveClothingMaterialResistancetoHypodermicNeedlePuncture1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF2878;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.INTRODUCTIONOccupationalexposurestobloodbornepathogens(BBP)causedbyneedlestickinjuriesareaconcernforhealthcareprofessionals,lawenforcementofficers,firstrespondersandothers.TransmissionofdiseasessuchasHumanImmunodeficiencyVirus(HIV)andHepatitisC(HepC)asaresultofpercutaneousneedlestickinjurieshavebeendocumentedworldwide.Thesediseasescanleadtolife-longchronichealthproblemsandpossiblydeath.Workpracticesafetyprocedures,includingtheuseofpersonalprotectiveequipment(PPE)suchasgloves,aprons,andsleeves,areusedtodiminishtheriskofoccupationalexposuretoBBP’sthroughneedlestickinjury.Thepurposeofthisstandardistomeasurerelativehypodermicneedlepunctureresistanceofferedbyvariousmaterialsbasedontheconditionsspecifiedwithinthestandard.Thisstandarddoesnotattempttosimulatealluseconditions.Anumberofvariableswhichimpactpunctureresistancearenotaddressedbythisstandard.Forexample,stiffnessofbackingmaterials,presenceoflubricants,andtensiononthespecimenmayallimpactpunctureresistance,butarenotconsideredbythisstandard.Thisstandarddefinesthreecommonhypodermicneedlestoevaluatepunctureresistance.Throughdevelopmentofthisstandard,ithasbeenobservedthatneedlediameterhasaneffectonpunctureresistance.Thereforeneedlesofvariousdiametershavebeenspecified.Usersofthismethodmayspecifytestingwithoneormoreoftheneedlesdefinedwithinthestandard.Thehypodermicneedlesreferencedhavebeenselectedwithconsiderationtothreemainpoints:(1)AsneedlegaugeincreasestheloadrequiredtopuncturematerialstakenfromcommonlyavailablehypodermicneedleresistantPPEincreases.Theperformanceisnotlinearandthereforerelativelylargegauge(21g)and...
