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The UAF
Occupational Health and Safety Program for personnel working
with animals or animal tissues, fluids or waste includes medical
evaluation and preventive medicine provided through the participation
of a contract health care provider experienced in occupational
health. Confidentiality and other medical and legal factors
have been considered in the context of appropriate federal,
state, and local regulations.
A pre-assignment
and annual health history evaluation is required for personnel
within certain risk categories. This includes establishing
an appropriate immunization schedule for each employee. All
animal care personnel are immunized against tetanus. Other
immunizations are provided as recommended by the health care
provider sometimes in consultation with UAF Veterinary Services
(e.g. rabies, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, etc.).
Pre-employment
or pre-exposure serum collection is not normally done but will
be considered if recommended by the health care provider or
the UAF Biosafety committee. All collection and archiving of
serum from employees may be subject to approval by the UAF
Institutional Review Board.
Zoonosis
surveillance within the Institution's animal facilities is
an integral component of the preventive medicine program. All
captive animal colonies have regular assessments for known
zoonotic diseases. All incoming wild animals are tested for
pathogens endemic within their native populations (i.e Salmonella
spp. in rodents; Echinococcus spp. in Arctic fox, etc.). Individuals
working with free-ranging species are provided training to
minimize exposure to zoonotic diseases present within the population(s)
under study.
Contacts
and forms for reporting concerns or identification of potential
or known exposures as well as suspected health hazards and
illnesses is located on the UAF EHS&RM web
page.
All
injuries, accidents, bites, scratches, and allergic reactions
are to be treated immediately. Following this, incidents are
reported directly to the employee's immediate supervisor. Incident
reports and/or workers compensation forms are completed and
filed at the unit/departmental office with all forms subsequently
distributed in accordance with guidelines established by the
Statewide Office of Risk Management and UAF EH&S offices.
Refer to the following links for detailed directions:
Incident Reporting
http://www.uaf.edu/safety/reporting_an_incident.htm
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