Recent publications support the use of the Hands-Free Technique, or Neutral Zone, for reducing surgical injuries, most of the evidence for this support comes from studies older than your 5-6 year window of interest.

For example DiGirolamo KM, Courtemanche DJ, Hill WD, Kennedy A, Skarsgard ED,’s “Use of safety scalpels and other safety practices to reduce sharps injury in the operating room: what is the evidence?” Can J Surg. 2013 Aug; 56(4):263-269. PMID 23883497 examines 5 articles reporting effects of hands-free technique. Four showed significant reduction in incidents, the fifth showed no change. However, the studies themselves were published in 1992, 2000, 2002, and 2009. Only the last meets your request for articles from the past 5-6 years.

• The 2009 study, Stringer et al.’s “Hands-free technique in the operating room: reduction of body fluid exposure and the value of a training video.” Public Health Rep. 2009 Ju-Aug;124 Suppl 1:169-79. PMID 19618819, found a 35% reduction in incidents (defined as percutaneous injury, glove tear, and contamination).

Similarly, Walijee JF, Malay S, and Chung KC. “Sharps Injuries: The Risks and Relevance to Plastic Surgeons” Plast Reconstr Surg. 2013 Apr;131(4): 784-91. PMID 23542251, claim an up to 60% reduction in incidents when using a neutral zone, but base this claim on the previously reported study done in 2002.

Another study, Jagger et al. “Increase in sharps injuries in surgical settings versus nonsurgical settings after passage of national needlestick legislation” J Am Coll Surg. 2010 Apr;210(4):496-502. PMID 20347743 shows data on the percentage of surgical incidents that occur during “passing/between steps” but does not comment on specific intervention reductions.

In short, with the one exception of Stringer et al.’s 2009 article studies on the efficacy of the Hands-Free Technique, or Neutral Zone, appear to be 10-15 years old. Such older studies include:
• Berguer R, Heller PJ. “Preventing sharps injuries in the operating room.” J Am Coll Surg. 2004 Sep;199(3):462-7. PMID 15325617 Review of available evidence, often cited as offers summary of 2000 and 2002 data.
• Stringer B, Infante-Rivard C, Hanley JA. “Effectiveness of the hands-free technique in reducing operating theatre injuries.” Occup Environ Med. 2002;59(10):703-707. Reports 59% reduction.
• Folin A, Nyberg B, Nordström G. “Reducing blood exposures during orthopedic surgical procedures.” AORN J. 2000 Mar; 71(3):573-6, 579, 581-2. Small sample size, reported significant reduction for “scrub people” not for “first assistants” or “surgeons.”