Hypodermic Needles Found in Winthrop Dining Hall

The danger of being pierced by used hypodermic needles might not be part of the job description for Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS) employees—but that is exactly the risk Winthrop House dining hall workers have been facing for several weeks.

Used syringe needles have been appearing next to dishes on trays sent to the kitchen on a regular basis since December, presenting a potential health hazard to dining hall workers who handle the dishes.

While no one has been harmed yet, several workers have come close.

“People work here, okay? I don’t know what they think. So why do they send [the needles] here? They don’t care for us?” said Manny Fabrikarakis, who is in charge of handling dishes in Winthrop.

Fabrikarakis added that the needles have been loose and in plain sight, and that he did not believe they were being left on the trays with malicious intent.

Other Winthrop dining hall staffers agreed with Fabrikarakis: Jeff Wiggins, another Winthrop dining hall worker, said the needles might be from insulin shots used to treat diabetes.

Winthrop House master Stephen P. Rosen ’74 sent an e-mail to the House community on Wednesday, alerting residents to the situation and warning that “this is a very serious matter and cannot continue.”

Needles have been found as recently as this week, according to Rosen’s e-mail.

“It’s not something we’ve ever dealt with before,” said HUDS spokeswoman Crista Martin.

Robert P. Mitchell, spokesman for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said that HUDS, Winthrop House, and the Harvard University Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) are working together to reach a solution.

Last night, EH&S placed a specialized container in Winthrop dining hall where diners can safely dispose of sharp objects like needles, according to Valerie Nelson, food safety officer for EH&S.

In addition, Winthrop dining hall workers who handle dishes are all being asked to start wearing cut-proof gloves underneath their regular gloves, Martin said.

Wiggins, who staffs breakfast and lunch, said that his co-workers do not always wear regular gloves in the first place—even after encountering needles on an often daily basis.

Wiggins himself has found needles on trays during his shift and has come close to being pierced several times, he said.

Rosen and Serie DeMelo, the manager of Winthrop and Lowell dining halls, declined to comment.

The appearance of the needles represents a new and unforeseen part of working in Winthrop dining hall—Fabrikarakis said that the only similar situation he has faced came when he happened upon a used condom on a tray about two months ago.

—Staff writer Bonnie J. Kavoussi can be reached at kavoussi@fas.harvard.edu.