Starbucks to install more needle disposal boxes in bathrooms nationwide

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April 25, 2019 – “At this point, our focus is installing them where employees need them,” a spokesperson for Starbucks told TODAY. “The opioid crisis is affecting people across the country and our partners sometimes see that, and it’s important to not put employees in uncomfortable situations. I think there’s been an industry-wide concern.” The move to protect Starbucks workers started in the fall of 2018, according to the spokesperson, when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated a cafe in Oregon after two of its employees reported being stuck with hypoallergenic needles while cleaning the store. Simultaneously, the chain’s corporate leadership team met to discuss a solution to support staff across the country. In January, Starbucks announced it would be installing sharps boxes in bathrooms where employees or managers felt they were needed. Sharps boxes or, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “Sharps Disposal Containers,” are thick plastic containers…