What should the department do if an employee is exposed to a needlestick or infectious disease?
Notify your supervisor immediately, no matter how minor the incident may seem. If you are exposed to any human or animal body fluids or other potentially infectious materials, seek treatment immediately.
The UT Medicine Diagnostic Pavilion is the preferred provider for UTHSCSA needlestick and infectious disease exposures. Because timely treatment is essential, call (210)-592-0150 to be seen at the Family and Community Medicine Clinic.
The unsafe condition which caused the injury must be corrected. If assistance is necessary, call the Environmental Health & Safety Department at 567-2955.
Advise the employee to notify the medical provider that the exposure is work related. If time permits, complete the form, Employee Post-Exposure Medical Release Form, for the employee to give to the medical provider.
All infectious disease exposure incidents must be reported. Complete the form, Employer’s First Report of Injury or Illness. for all infectious disease exposures/needlesticks. Fax a copy of the Employer’s First Report of Injury or Illness to Environmental Health & Safety at (210)-567-2965 and send the original to Environmental Health & Safety.
The employee should provide his or her supervisor with a work status report as soon as possible.
Worker’s compensation insurance may cover part of the cost of the treatment of the injury of exposure. For law enforcement officers, the cost of baseline testing will be covered only if done within 10 days of an exposure to a reportable disease. For other state employees, the cost of baseline testing will be covered only if done with 10 days of an exposure to HIV. This provision applies to baseline testing and not to follow-up testing or prophylactic treatment.
If there are any questions, contact the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator in the Environmental Health & Safety Department at 567-2955.
