Human Resources – Health and Safety
Hearing Protection Control
Work areas or job tasks where significant noise exposure exists should be brought to the attention of the Industrial Hygiene Department. Noise exposure includes continuous, intermittent and impulse (less than one second long and greater than one second delay) noises. If sound level measurements indicate that excessive noise exposure exists, relating to OSHA permissible noise levels, investigation of engineering controls or administrative controls (e.g. rotation of employees or limiting time on particular tasks) to reduce exposure is necessary. If such measures do not reduce the noise level sufficiently, employee training, hearing exams, and personal protective equipment (ear plugs or muffs) will be necessary.
Infection Control
REQUIRED FOR HOSPITAL PRIVILEGES
Minimizing the occurrence of nosocomial and zoonotic diseases in the hospital is the responsibility of everyone working within the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. A clear understanding of the hospital’s infection control guidelines will help ensure the health of our client’s animals as well as the health of hospital staff, students and faculty.
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
Foster compliance through facilitating the efforts employed by the institution’s scientists and instructors in the utilization of the animal model in research, education and other scholarly pursuits. This effort is more fully described in an expanded Mission and Scope statement of the IACUC. See also NCSU Policy, Rules and Regulations regarding the use of animals.
Manager’s Departmental Employee Safety Training
Use the Safety Plan and the Safety and Health Manual as the basis for your discussion. After each element has been
discussed and understood by the new employee, check the corresponding block on this form. Questions can be
referred to the Environmental Health and Safety Center.
Departmental Checklist for Employee Safety Training
This form must be signed by the supervisor and the employee or student and returned to the CVM-Human Resources Office immediately after completion. In addition, please provide one copy of this form to the employee or student and
retain one copy for your files.
Occupational Health and Safety Program for Personnel with Animal Contact (OHSPAC)
The purpose of the Occupational Health and Safety Program for Personnel with Animal Contact is to minimize the health and safety risk of working with vertebrate animals to an acceptable level.
- Complete a Vertebrate Animal Contact Medical Questionnaire for initial enrollment into the program. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the questionnaire is completed and returned to a departmental representative who will route to Student Health. A medical provider will review the questionnaire; any follow-up discussion with the employee, or medical examination, will be at the discretion of the medical provider.
VACCINATION COMPLIANCE
All personnel working with animals should receive tetanus vaccination every 10 years, and those who have contact with random source or wild mammals, or mammals kept outdoors, should receive rabies vaccination. Additional special procedures/vaccinations may be necessary for certain projects such as work with non-human primates. The supervisor is responsible for notifying employees of vaccination requirements and ensuring that vaccinations are received according to occupational physicians recommendations.
- Vaccination recommendations will be sent to the employee and supervisor upon review of the Animal Contact Questionnaire by the Occupational Medicine Program Coordinator located within the Student Health Center.
Respiratory Protection Program
Engineering controls and safe work practices are the primary means to prevent employee over exposure to chemicals. However, when these controls are not feasible or available, then wearing a respirator may be necessary. Employees who wear a respirator must be given prior approval by the EHSC. Before a respirator is issued, a workplace assessment is conducted to identify harmful airborne chemicals. If respiratory protection is recommended, the employee will undergo medical approval, training and fit testing. Medical approval, either by physical exam or confidential medical questionnaire, is needed for first time respirator users and according to guidelines for current respirator users. These guidelines also pertain to N-95 respirator use.
Each department that uses respirators, including self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), must have a written protocol. The protocol must be incorporated into the safety plan.The department’s written program must discuss hazards unique to their work area. Please be aware that two persons need to be qualified to use SCBA in order for SCBA to be used in the workplace.
Workers’ Compensation
The purpose of the program is to ensure that all eligible employees who experience a work related injury or illness receive appropriate medical care and equitable benefits as provided under the Workers’ Compensation Act and the Workers’ Compensation section of the State Personnel Policy.
HOW TO GUIDE ON WORKERS’ COMPENSATION