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.
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.
Local Hospitals:
| *Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center 1199 Prince Avenue 706-475-7000 MAP |
*St. Mary’s Health Care System 1230 Baxter Street 706-389-3000 MAP |
| For minor injuries, students ONLY may seek treatment at: *University Health Center 55 Carlton Street |
For minor injuries, employees may seek treatment at: *Piedmont Occupational Medicine 485 Highway 29 North, Athens, GA 706-353-6000 |
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
- Any injury sustained while working with nonhuman primates, working in a nonhuman primate facility or working with items that may have been contaminated by nonhuman primates.
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. For more information on next steps, please review the Research Support Services Standard Operating Procedure: Emergency Response for Occupational Health Incident.
Who can I contact for more information about emergency response?
Please contact the Research Occupational Health Nurse at occhealth@uga.edu.
What steps are necessary after an emergency has occurred?
For additional post-emergency information, please refer to the Research Support Services Standard Operating Procedure: Emergency Response for Occupational Health Incident.