Occupational Health and Safety Program
Emergencies
The first priority for all research occupational health emergencies is human life. For serious injury, please seek medical treatment immediately.
Emergency Information
I am injured. What do I do?
- FIRST! Follow your Lab/Facility-Specific Emergency Response Procedure for the type of injury sustained. There are some instances where early decontamination steps are imperative.
- For serious injuries, seek MEDICAL ATTENTION immediately. You do not need authorization. If you need to obtain emergency transport, call 911.
- For minor injuries, you may have someone drive you for treatment (if you are not contaminated). DO NOT drive yourself.
- Seek Treatment at these local health care facilities:
- For serious injuries:
- Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center
1199 Prince Avenue - St. Mary’s Trinity Health
1230 Baxter Street
- Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center
- For minor injuries:
- Piedmont Occupational Medicine
485 Highway 29 North - University Health Center (Students Only)
55 Carlton Street
- Piedmont Occupational Medicine
- For Non-Human Primate related injuries:
- For serious injuries call 911 or immediately go to the closest hospital emergency room.
- For minor injuries during business hours, all students and employees promptly seek treatment at the University Health Center.
- For minor injuries after hours, promptly go to the closest hospital.
- For serious injuries:
What types of injuries are considered serious emergencies?
- Any physical injury causing a significant wound, loss of blood, loss of consciousness, head injury, or any other serious bodily harm
- Any systemic allergic reaction that results in hives, or affects breathing in any way
- Any potential exposure to biohazards, including exposure to Other Potential Infectious Materials (OPIM), as might occur from a contaminated needle stick (even if person is assumed healthy)
- Any potential exposure to hazardous chemicals or radiation/radioisotopes
If you sustain a potential biohazard exposure, please contact the UGA Office of Biosafety on the BAT Phone at 706-542-5300, so that we can attempt to prioritize your treatment with the Emergency Room.
If you sustain a potential chemical or radiation exposure, pleases contact the UGA Office of Research Safety on the PREHS phone at 706-542-5561, so that we can prioritize your treatment with the Emergency Room.
For individuals who have sustained a nonhuman primate exposure, HIV exposure or exposure to retro- or lentiviral vectors, you MUST fill your prescriptions immediately. If you have any issues, please contact the Office of Biosafety BAT phone at 706-542-5300.
Do I have to follow up with anyone after an emergency incident?
YES! Please report any emergency incident resulting in injury, even minor injury, to the Research Occupational Health Nurse at occhealth@uga.edu. Also, please report any clean needle sticks, even though they do not require medical treatment. It is important that we track these incidents.
What are my responsibilities as a supervisor if one of my employees is injured?
Assure that your employee FIRST seeks appropriate medical attention. You must then follow up with the appropriate processing for any relevant workers’ compensation claims. Please see Supervisor’s Guide for Workers’ Compensation.
Who can I contact for more information about emergency response?
Please contact the Research Occupational Health Nurse at occhealth@uga.edu.