The report published in The Journal of Health, Safety and Environmentfound that needle exchange programs should be established at Loddon and Tarrengower prisons to reduce the risk of needle-stick injuries and blood-borne viruses. Needles can be used by as many as 100 inmates and are sometimes sharpened on prison walls, research in the report says.

Fifty-nine per cent of prisoners have a history of injected drug use and 38 per cent injected within one month of going into prison.

“Prison authorities know prisoners are injecting, so they can foresee a risk to staff,” report author John Ryan said.

“But they are not taking reasonable measures to control the risk through regulated needle access, so are acting irresponsibly as employers.

“Research suggests that 10 per cent of prison officers may suffer accidental needle-stick injury.

“Prison officers regularly come across needles that are hidden by prisoners, many of whom share needles and have the debilitating virus hepatitis C.

“For as long as prisoners do not have access to clean needles, prison warders are at a higher risk of accidental injury that could lead to hepatitis C infection.”

Mr Ryan said needle exchange programs in the community had drastically lowered needle sharing rates and arguments about syringes being used as weapons were not valid.

“Prisoners are not using needles as weapons where prison-based exchanges are accepted and effective,” Mr Ryan said.

“But if a guard searching a cell reaches up under a bed, for example, he can never be sure he won’t get a prick from a contaminated needle that has been shared dozens of times.

“Australian health programs have successfully slashed needle sharing rates in the community, but prisoners have little choice but to share because successful harm-reduction measures are banned inside.

“Prison officers from Loddon Prison and Tarrengower Prison should be asking their unions to provide them with the scientific evidence that shows that needle exchange is safe.