A NEEDLE SAFETY DEVICE (40) FOR AN INTRAVENOUS CATHETER APPARATUS (10) THAT INCLUDES A BASE (42) CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A NEEDLE (20) BETWEEN OPPOSING JAWS (48) ATTACHED TO THE BASE (42) AND CAPABLE OF BEING INFLUENCED BY THE NEEDLE (20). THE JAWS (48) MOVE BETWEEN AN EXPANDED POSITION IN WHICH THEY INTERACT WITH AN OBSTRUCTION (34) WITHIN A WING HOUSING (14) OF THE INTRAVENOUS CATHETER APPARATUS (10). THE JAWS (48) PERMIT RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE NEEDLE (20) WITH THE BASE (42) WHEN EXPANDED, CLOSE AROUND A NEEDLE TIP (22) AS IT PASSES THE JAWS (48), AND PREVENT RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE NEEDLE (20) WITH THE BASE (42) WHEN THE JAWS (48) ARE COLLAPSED. THE NEEDLE (20) OF THE INTRAVENOUS CATHETER APPARATUS (10) MAY THEN BE SAFELY DISPOSED WITH THE NEEDLE TIP (22) WITHIN THE NEEDLE SAFETY DEVICE (40).
