Eighty-four percent of sharps injuries—injuries from a needle or sharp object—occur among healthcare workers, according to a recent analysis from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). These can expose workers to bloodborne pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and other infectious diseases. This disturbing statistic leads us to this week’s EHSDA Song of the Week, “Cuts You Up” by Peter Murphy.
The majestic song is on Murphy’s 1989 solo album Deep and it became an instant hit in 1990 on alternative rock radio as well as MTV. Already beloved as the frontman for legendary post-punk act Bauhaus, Murphy reached a whole new audience with “Cuts You Up,” which hit #55 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Not too shabby for a goth-rock legend.
Murphy isn’t singing about sharps injuries here, and indeed, it’s not clear exactly what is cutting you up in the song, but it’s a moody classic that really defines that era of late ’80s/early ’90s alternative rock.