Environmental Health and Safety

EMPLOYEE HEALTH MONITORING

Any employee who is subject to an exposure that is above the listed OSHA limit shall undergo a medical evaluation as prescribed via standards indicated in the Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR Part 1910). 

It is the policy of UT-Tyler to promptly investigate incidents in which there is even a remote possibility of employee over exposure to a toxic substance.  The following list includes events or circumstances that might reasonably constitute an over exposure:

1. A biological material or hazardous chemical leaked, was spilled, or was otherwise rapidly released in an uncontrolled manner outside of a working fume hood.
2. A laboratory employee had direct eye or skin contact with a biological material or hazardous chemical.
3. A laboratory employee shows signs of overexposure such as headache, coughing, tearing, irritation or redness of the eyes, rash, irritation of the nose or throat area, nausea, dizziness, loss of coordination or judgment.
4. Two or more persons in the same general area of a laboratory have similar complaints.
5. Symptoms disappear when employee leaves exposure area and reappear when employee re-enters the exposure (laboratory) area.

All complaints and their disposition, no matter what the ultimate disposition may be, are to be documented.    All memos, notes and reports related to a complaint of actual or possible exposure to biological material or hazardous chemicals are to be maintained as part of the record. A copy of all complaints and their disposition will be forwarded to the Director EH&S.  If no further assessment of the event is deemed necessary, the reason for the decision should be included in the documentation.  If a decision is to investigate, a formal exposure assessment will be done by the EH&S Director.  A copy of any formal assessment will be sent to the Chemical Hygiene Officer.

The following procedures and types of questions will be used to assess whether an over exposure is likely to have occurred.  In cases of emergency, the exposure assessments are to be conducted after the victim has been treated.

1. The complainant and victim (if not the same person) will be interviewed.
2. Essential information will be collected which will include:
   1. biological materials or chemicals being used by the victim
   2. biological materials or all chemicals being used by others in the immediate area
   3. other biological materials or chemicals stored in the immediate area
   4. symptoms exhibited or claimed by the victim
   5. symptoms listed on the MSDSs for the chemicals involved
   6. what types of control measures were in plac
      • what types of PPE was being used
      • was any air sampling done
3. Air from the surrounding work area will be monitored for suspected biological material or chemical agent.
4. Victim(s) complaints will be compared with the MSDSs symptoms and warning indications.
5. The Director of EH&S will decide if more stringent control measures should be instituted when working with this chemical.
6. The results of any monitoring or other tests will be given to those employees who may have been in the area when the overexposure occurred.
7. When an over exposure is deemed possible, the following information will be supplied to the physician conducting the medical evaluation of the employee:

1. The identity of the chemical(s) to which the employee may have been over exposed.
2. The conditions under which this over exposure took place.
3. A copy of the MSDS for the chemical(s) in question, which will include signs and symptoms of over exposure as well as a 24-hour emergency telephone number for the manufacturer of the chemical(s).

 

8. The physician will be asked to furnish the following information in written form to the Director, EH&S where it will be reviewed.

1. Any recommendations for follow-up studies/visits.
2. The results of the examination and any laboratory or other tests that were preformed.
3. Conclusions concerning the possibility of any other medical condition increasing the risk to the employee in the case of an over exposure.
4. Conclusions regarding any exposure related injury that the employee might have suffered.
5. A statement that the employee has been informed both of the results of the consultation or examination and of any medical condition that may require further examination or treatment.
6. These statements and records will not include or reveal any specific findings that are not related to an occupational exposure.

 

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