Health & Safety About 60 minutes

Sharps Awareness Training

Equip staff to handle needles and sharp objects safely, spot blood-borne virus risks and respond correctly if an injury happens at work.

  • CPD Accredited
Overview

What this course covers

A sharps injury happens when skin is pierced by a needle or other sharp object that has been in contact with blood or body fluid. It can pass on serious infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. Developed with input from an NHS infection control team, this training explains what counts as a sharp, where the risks are greatest and how to handle these items safely.

It is relevant to healthcare, cleaning, education and any other setting where staff might encounter needles or sharp waste. Learners finish with clear steps to follow immediately after an injury and an understanding of employer duties around sharps safety.

What you'll learn

Skills you'll walk away with

  • Define what counts as a sharp and a sharps injury at work
  • Identify the blood-borne viruses linked to sharps injuries
  • Recognise the roles and settings most exposed to sharps risks
  • Apply safe handling and disposal procedures for sharp waste
  • Respond correctly and promptly if a sharps injury occurs
  • Explain employer obligations under UK health and safety law
Who it's for

Designed with these roles in mind

  • Healthcare workers, nurses, doctors and dentists
  • Cleaners and facilities staff handling waste
  • Vets, tattooists and first aiders
  • Teachers and school staff
  • Anyone who may encounter needles or sharp objects at work
Course content

Modules included

6 short lessons that build sequentially. Learners can pause and resume at any point on any device.

  1. 01 Sharps and the risks they present
  2. 02 Blood-borne viruses and associated health risks
  3. 03 Environments and roles most at risk
  4. 04 Safe handling procedures and waste disposal
  5. 05 Responding to a sharps injury
  6. 06 The law and employer obligations
Assessment

How competence is checked

Learners complete a short final assessment to check their understanding of safe handling and injury response before the certificate is released.

Certificate

What learners receive

A personalised, CPD accredited certificate is available to download immediately after the course is completed.

Aligned with
  • UK health and safety law
FAQ

Common questions

How long do learners have to complete the course?
Access is open-ended. Once assigned, learners can log in on any device, work at their own pace, pause and resume, and complete the course whenever it suits them.
What happens if a learner fails the end-of-course test?
Learners can retake the test until they pass. Progress is tracked automatically so nobody loses their place.
How is the certificate delivered?
The certificate is generated instantly on completion and available to download as a personalised PDF. Copies are stored in the admin dashboard for compliance records.
Can we buy licences in bulk for a team?
Yes. Volume pricing is available from as few as five licences and scales for larger workforces. Request a callback for a tailored quote.
Is the training accessible on mobile devices?
Yes. The course runs in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or mobile. There is nothing to install.
Do you offer reporting for compliance audits?
Yes. The admin dashboard provides completion reports, certificate downloads and audit-ready logs by learner or by team.

Ready to roll out Sharps Awareness Training to your team?

Speak to a compliance advisor for volume pricing, admin dashboard access and same-day setup.

Rated by our learners

Rated Excellent by our learners

4.5 out of 5

Based on 32,681 Trustpilot reviews

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Excellent service

Excellent service, so polite, patient and calm. Answered all my queries in a professional non judgemental manner, also put me on the best possible learning journey. I am so far very happy, thank you

Sheree P. 17 Oct 2026
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Amazing!

Callum was really great! Easy to talk to and made the process of enrolling onto my course so simple!

Patience S. 17 Oct 2026
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Nessrine Marhoum was very helpful and…

Nessrine Marhoum was very helpful and patient with me and never any pressure to sign up. Very happy

Lisa B. 17 Oct 2026
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Ethan from Learn Direct has been great…

Ethan from Learn Direct has been great and helpful throughout my journey of Application. He’s guided me through every step of application. Therefore a big thank you to him! And looking forward to my learning

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Imeadiat kind and professional and very support help

Straightaway, a positive experience with Customer Service Advisor Edina. :) Kind and supportive personality. Helped a lot when there was a lot of confusion in the new pathway.

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