Abstract: A safety shield slidably mounted upon a disposable hypodermic syringe and needle assembly and having an elongated guide slot which cooperates with a resilient tab cooperating therewith to maintain orientation between the syringe body and the telescoping shield. A resilient locking tab integral with the syringe body cooperates with a pair of spaced slots arranged along the telescoping shield to define the initial shielded position and the usable position respectively. The telescoping shield includes a shoulder which receives the bent-over flexible tab to lock the shield in the shielded position to prevent contact with the needle, facilitating safe handling of the assembly.