I.              REFERENCES

 

A.    California Code of Regulations, Title 8

 

B.    California Health and Safety Code

 

C.    Medical Center Policy (MCP) 611.8 Employee Workers' Compensation

 

D.    UCSD Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM)

200-20 Workers' Compensation

 

II.            POLICY

 

It is the University's policy that employees be provided with a safe and healthy work environment and that exposure to chemical, biological, and physical health hazards be kept as low as practicable. In addition, this policy, current law, and prudent practice require that employees with potential exposures to some chemical, physical, or biological hazards will be provided medical monitoring. Medical monitoring is provided when indicated by risk assessment and/or specified “action levels”. Medical monitoring is designed to; assist in safe and appropriate job assignments, prevent occupational injury or illness, identify early signs of occupational health effects resulting from exposure to possible health hazards in the work environment, and implement appropriate preventive and control measures. Medical care will be provided for employees who experience occupational illness and injury.

 

Students and visitors with potential exposures to health hazards in assigned department areas may also be provided with applicable occupational health services.

 

III.           PROCEDURES

 

A.    Emergency Treatment of Work-Incurred Injuries/Illnesses

 

1.             Main Campus: EMERGENCY SERVICE IS AVAILABLE BY PHONING CAMPUS POLICE:

 

a.             Land Line, call  911

 

b.            Cell Phone, call 858-534-HELP (4357) 

 

2.             UCSD Medical Center: EMERGENCY SERVICE IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM.  Dial 6111.

 

3.             Employees injured at other sites, off-campus, or when help is unavailable through normal channels should seek the nearest available medical facilities; if necessary contact police, fire, or other recognized emergency service.

 

B.    Reporting Work-Incurred Injuries/Illnesses

 

Employees will report all injuries, no matter how minor, to their supervisors. Supervisors must report any work related injury to the Workers' Compensation Office by following procedures listed under PPM 200-20. Cal/OSHA Regulations currently require reporting of serious injuries within 8 hours of knowledge of the injury. Therefore, the immediate reporting of all injuries to the Workers' Compensation office will ensure compliance with this Cal/OSHA regulation.

 

C.    Medical Evaluation for needlesticks and exposures to human or primate blood, body  fluids, bloodborne pathogens, or recombinant DNA

 

1.             Immediately wash wound thoroughly with soap and water.  Use eye wash to rinse out splashes to mucous membranes (eye, nose, mouth).

 

2.             Seek immediate medical advice and treatment as follows:

 

a.             During business hours, 8am – 4pm:

 

Call the medical center paging operator at (619) 543-6737 and ask them to page 1447 or Call (619) 471-0910 and ask for an emergency consultation with an Occupational Medicine Nurse.

 

b.            After business hours OR if paging does not work:

 

Proceed directly to the emergency room of Thornton Hospital or UCSD Medical Center

 

D.    Non-Emergency Treatment of Work-Incurred Injury/Illness

 

Employees may seek medical treatment as follows:

 

a.             24-hour walk-in service:

 

Thornton Hospital Emergency Room, (858) 657-7600

 

UCSD Medical Center (Hillcrest) Emergency Room, (619) 543-6400

 

b.            By appointment only:

 

UCSD Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine,

(619) 471-9210                                           

 

E.    Preventive Medicine and Medical Monitoring

 

Departments, in consultation with EH&S, may require a program of pre-employment, periodic, and/or exit medical examinations for selected occupations or work activities.  Medical surveillance may include questionnaires, examinations, immunizations, lab or

 

medical testing, and/or medical consultation. Medical services are provided by UCSD Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine (COEM) and all medical records are confidentially maintained by COEM.

 

1.             Employees with potential occupational exposures which might affect their health shall be provided appropriate preventive medical services, health screening, and/or medical monitoring.  Activities falling under this category may include, but are not limited to:

 

a.             Contact with biologic, infectious agents, & recombinant DNA

 

b.            Contact with certain chemicals or toxins

 

c.             Animal Care Program

 

d.            High noise exposure

 

e.             Respirator use

 

f.             Hospital or clinical work

 

On campus, these costs are recharged to the department. 

 

2.             Ship-operating personnel on University-controlled vessels and persons engaged in any University diving program shall meet all requirements in the medical programs of the administrative units responsible for these activities.

 

F.    Exposure Monitoring

 

1.             Employees who are concerned about an exposure with potential health effects will notify their supervisor. The supervisor and Environment Health & Safety will evaluate the exposure, communicate findings, and/or implement appropriate preventive actions. 

 

2.             Exposure records are maintained by the department and by Environment Health & Safety for the duration required by applicable laws.  Records are kept for radiation workers, asbestos certified workers, respirator users, employees exposed to noise, and others as required by law.

 

G.    Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records

 

1.             Exposure Records

 

An employee can review his or her exposure records by making a request to his or her supervisor or to Environment Health & Safety.

 

2.             Medical Records

 

An employee can review his or her medical records by making a request to Environment Health & Safety and/or UCSD Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine (COEM).

 

IV.           RESPONSIBILITIES

 

A.    It is the responsibility of each individual and each supervisor to know the procedure for obtaining first aid treatment.

 

B.    It is the responsibility of each departmental administrative unit to report to EH&S any work activity which might require preventive medical services or medical monitoring.

 

C.    It is the responsibility of each departmental administrative unit to clear proposals for special preventative programs for employees through EH&S.

 

D.    It is the responsibility of each departmental administrative unit to prepare a written program addressing procedures for minimizing occupational exposure to workplace health hazards, assuring completion of required medical monitoring, assuring employee's exposure and medical surveillance clearance/summary records are kept in the employee personnel file, and assuring completion of regular training on procedures and the specific hazards of the job.