We interviewed every (57) nursing workers of a Govemmental General Hospital from São Paulo, that had suffered occupational accidents regarding the sharp objects or had had exposure to infectious blood or body fluids since January to September 1992. There were 15,8% (9) nurses. 49,1% (28) auxiliaries, 33,3% (19) attendants and 1,8% (1) clerks; they were younger than 40 years old. 66,1% had completed high school and they had between 4 and 7 years of experience in their function. 49,1 % ofthe accidents occurred in the morning and 38,7% in the night. These accidents occurred mainly in the Emergency Department, with sharp objects (36,8%); they were responsible for 71 ,9% of the accidents; 75,0% with the auxiliaries. These injuried workers attribute the main causes to the carelessness or imprudence of physicians or of themselves (24,6%) and to the recapping of the needles (19,3%). 57,0% ofthe injured with the sprinkling ofthe fluid in the eyes developed "conjunctivitis" and one of them (1 ,8%) "Hepatitis B". This study showed that 78,1% of the accidents could have been avoided; 57,0% merely by the use of the Universal Precautions.
