Medical Surveillance and Accident Reporting

A. Medical Surveillance

The purpose of a medical surveillance program is to insure that employees are physically fit for employment, properly protected against potentially harmful exposures and appropriately diagnosed should illness or exposure occur. 

It is the responsibility of the principal investigator, laboratory supervisor or laboratory manager with the assistance of EH&S to consider the potential hazards associated with each position and provide the examining physician with guidelines for the conduct of the medical exam. 

Please be sure to consult the agent listing (V, D) and the section on immunoprophylaxis (Appendix 5) of vaccination requirements when considering medial examination. Note that all individuals working with BL 3 agents are required to have a serum sample stored for baseline information. In addition, note that certain classes of individuals are at increased risk of infection. This would include those on long term antibiotic treatments, the immunosuppressed, pregnant employees, and individuals receiving chemotherapeutic agents. It is the responsibility of the employee to call any of the above conditions to the attention of his or her supervisor so that proper safety precautions can be implemented. 

B. Accident Reporting

All accidents involving biological agents should be reported to the lab supervisor, lab manager and EH&S. This includes, but is not be limited to, animal bites, accidental exposure to infectious agents and spills of potentially hazardous agents. Please utilize the UNF Accident Reporting Form (Appendix 10) to report these occurrences.