Animal Incidents

Any direct physical contact with an unknown animal, especially if it results in a bite or scratch, could have serious health consequences. In fact, wild animals - alive or dead - can spread disease and may pose potential physical hazards. Contact includes exposure of a person"s eyes, nose, mouth and non-intact skin (cut, scratched, burned, etc...) to animal blood or saliva. It also includes a bite, scratch or kick from a wild animal.


Notification Procedures:

RUPD (New Brunswick (732) 932-7111, Newark (973) 353-5111 or (973) 972-4491, Camden (856) 225-6111):

  • In the event of an injury or any other physical contact with an unknown or wild animal
  • If an animal is showing aggression or unusual behavior.
  • If you had any bat exposure or encounter.
  • When an animal is injured or inside a non-residential building after normal work hours

Housing

  • New Brunswick: (848) 932-1001
  • RBHS-N: (973) 972-5400  
  • Newark: (973) 353-1037
  • Camden: (856) 225-6471
When an animal is found injured or inside a residential building during normal work hours (Monday - Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm), RUPD after hours or on weekends.

Facilities

  • New Brunswick: (848) 445-1234
  • RBHS-N: (973) 972-5400
  • Newark: (973) 353-5441
  • Camden: (856) 225-6000
When an animal is found injured or inside a non-residential building during normal work hours (Monday - Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm), RUPD after hours or on weekends.

Student Health or Occupational Health

  • New Brunswick: (848) 932-7402
  • Newark: (973) 353-5231
  • Camden: (856) 225-6005
  • Occupational Health: (848) 932-8254
In the event of an injury or any other physical contact with an unknown or wild animal Any bat encounters

Bat Exposure: If you think you have been in any of following situations, call Student Health or Occupational Health.

  • Being bitten by a bat
  • Sleeping individuals awakening to find a bat in the same room, (not just in the house)
  • Young children playing alone and unobserved in a room with a bat
  • Incapacitated individuals (including intoxicated individuals) with one of these types of exposure

The following tips can help prevent people from being injured, or to minimize the injury, by an animal and/or other wildlife:
 
  • DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE OR DISTURB THE ANIMAL OR WILDLIFE!
  • Do not come into contact with it. Tell others to vacate the area if a dangerous animal may still be nearby.
  • Be prepared to give your name, location and if possible, the species or type of animal/wildlife involved. Keep track of names and contact information for anyone else that may have been exposed to the animal.
  • If a wild animal, such as a bat or a raccoon, is inside of a building, try to isolate it in a room by closing doors behind it and keeping others away.
Biological Spill

First, you must decide on whether to evacuate the immediate area of the spill. If you find yourself in a situation were you cannot safely control the spill, the safest action is to evacuate the area. The likelihood of a biological spill occurring outside of a laboratory is rare, but if you find yourself confronting a biological hazard in a non-laboratory (clinic, mechanical room, classroom, recreations, outdoors) setting please contact REHS for assistance.


BSL-2 agents, human blood, blood products, and body fluids

Laboratories

Restrict access to the spill area; evacuate the area if needed. Notify supervisors and post warnings. Laboratories should allow aerosols to settle for 30 minutes before re-entering. Wash exposed skin; if eyes are splashed, flush at eyewash station for 30 minutes. Remove and bag contaminated clothing. Use Use blood/biohazard spill kits where available and don appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Use forceps or other mechanical means to remove any contaminated sharps to prevent direct contact with spilled materials. If spill kit is not available take the following actions:
  • Place paper towels over the entire spill and apply disinfectant.
  • Allow 20-minute contact time with the disinfectant.
  • Wipe down spill area with appropriate disinfectant.
  • Place contaminated sharps in a sharps container.
  • Place other disposable materials and treat as regulated medical waste.
  • Wash hands when gloves are removed.

Clinical Areas

Report spill to your supervisor. It is not necessary to report the spill to the RUPD or REHS. Obtain bUse blood/biohazard spill kits from the designated area.


Personal Contamination

If a spilled material has contacted any part of your body, start first aid measures immediately. Utilize the nearest eyewash or safety shower. Disrobe promptly if clothing is contaminated.
  • Wear gloves, gown, and eye protection.
  • Use forceps or other mechanical means to remove any contaminated sharps to prevent direct contact with blood/body fluid.
  • Place debris in a biohazard bag and sharps in an approved sharps container. Dispose in a regulated medical waste container.
  • Decontaminate spill area with 1:10 bleach solution or another appropriate disinfectant.

For employees or lab workers with potential exposure:

New Brunswick/Piscataway Campuses Supervisor or employee must contact the Rutgers Occupational Health Department immediately at (848) 932-8254 to receive treatment.
Camden or Newark Campuses Supervisor or employee must contact the Occupational Health Department immediately at (848) 932-8254 to arrange treatment. Camden employees may also contact the Student Health Center in Camden at (856) 225-6005 for treatment.
For all other Rutgers off campus sites, stations and/or farms Supervisor or employee must contact the Occupational Health Department at (848) 932-8254 to arrange treatment.
Rutgers Biomedical & Health Sciences at Newark Supervisor or employee must contact New Jersey Medical School Occupational Medicine Services in Newark immediately at (973) 972-2900 for treatment. 
Rutgers Biomedical & Health Sciences at New Brunswick/Piscataway Supervisor or employee must contact Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Employee Health in Piscataway immediately at (848) 445-0123 for treatment.
 
For all Biomedical and Health Sciences off-campus facilities, clinics, or University Correctional Health Care Supervisor or employee should contact either NJMS Occupational Medicine Services in Newark at (973) 972-2900 or RWJMS Employee Health in Piscataway at (848) 445-0123 for treatment. 

After hours or on weekends, employee should report to nearest emergency room immediately for treatment and then contact Occupational Health in New Brunswick, Occupational Medicine Services in Newark, or Employee Health in Piscataway to arrange for follow-up care. 

For any questions associated to the exposure, please contact Occupational Health at (848) 932-8254, Occupational Medicine Services at (973) 972-2900 or Employee Health at (848) 445-0123.   

For students with potential exposure:

Location Dept Phone Website
New Brunswick/Piscataway Campuses Health Services (732) 932-7402 health.rutgers.edu
Health Science Campus Health Services (973) 972-8219 njms.rutgers.edu/departments
/family_medicine/shs
Newark Campus Health Services (973) 353-5231 health.newark.rutgers.edu
Camden Campus Health Services (856) 225-6005 healthservices.camden.rutgers.edu
 
If eyes or skin are involved flush with an emergency eyewash and/or safety shower for a minimum of 30 minutes. Other persons should assist (you will need help with eye flushing) and should contact RUPD: 

New Brunswick: (732) 932-7111
Newark: (973) 353-5111 or (973) 972-4491
Camden: (856) 225-6111 
Chemical Spill

First, you must decide on whether to evacuate the immediate area of the spill. If you find yourself in a situation were you cannot safely control the spill, the safest action is to evacuate the area. The likelihood of a chemical spill occurring outside of a laboratory is rare, but if you find yourself confronting a chemical hazard in a non-laboratory (clinic, mechanical room, outdoors) setting please contact REHS at 848-445-2550 or RUPD (New Brunswick (732) 932-7111, Newark (973) 353-5111 or (973) 972-4491, Camden (856) 225-6111).


For Laboratory Incidents:

Evacuation

If the spill is contained within an operating fume hood, evacuation is not necessary.

If the spill is outside of an operating fume hood but within your lab, evacuation is usually not necessary since the laboratories are generally under negative pressure with respect to surrounding areas

If the spill is outside a laboratory, if you spill a Particularly Hazardous Substance, or you have reason to believe that a spill in the laboratory may escape into the surrounding areas, please do not hesitate to pull a fire alarm if you feel the need for building-wide evacuation.

If you have the appropriate laboratory training, you can clean up a chemical spill yourself. Make a determination on whether a cleanup can be handled or if assistance is required. Generally, the spill can and should be cleaned up by laboratory personnel if the material is of low hazard (low corrosivity and toxicity) and if one gallon or less has been spilled. REVIEW THE APPROPRIATE SAFETY DATA SHEETS and use the following guidelines based on the size of the spill.


Personal Contamination

If a spilled material has contacted any part of your body, start first aid measures immediately. Shout for help and move directly to the nearest eyewash or safety shower. Disrobe promptly if clothing is involved. If eyes or skin are involved flush with an emergency eyewash and/or safety shower for a minimum of 30 minutes. Other persons should assist (you will need help with eye flushing) and should contact RUPD:
  • New Brunswick: (732) 932-7111
  • Newark: (973) 353-5111 or (973) 972-4491
  • Camden: (856) 225-6111

Spill Cleanup

If you have the appropriate laboratory training, you can clean up a chemical spill yourself. Make a determination on whether a cleanup can be handled or if assistance is required. Generally, the spill can and should be cleaned up by laboratory personnel if the material is of low hazard (low corrosivity and toxicity) and if one gallon or less has been spilled. REVIEW THE APPROPRIATE SAFETY DATA SHEETS and use the following guidelines based on the size of the spill.

Small Spill Large Spill

ASSESS spill size, chemical type and available cleanup equipment.

EVACUATE the immediate area.

WARN other personnel.

WEAR appropriate PPE.

CLEAN UP spill using appropriate spill kit if trained to do so.

CONTAIN spilled material in a sturdy plastic bag or sealed drum. Apply a hazardous waste label and contact REHS for disposal.

ATTEND to injured persons, seek appropriate medical attention.

EVACUATE area/building.

EXTINGUISH ignition and heat sources.

PREVENT spill from spreading.

CONTACT REHS for assistance. After hours call RUPD.

FILE a formal incident report.

If you require any more information, contact REHS at (848) 445-2550 or REHS-Newark (973) 972-4812.

Radiological Spill

When an incident occurs, the worker must first make a judgment as to whether the incident is a minor or major incident. The chart below will help you to make the determination as to a minor or major incident. When in doubt, call REHS.


Notifications

The proper response to an emergency depends upon a thorough understanding of the magnitude of risks, priorities for action and the application of common sense. When calling REHS or the police to report a spill, the following information should be provided:

  • Location of incident
  • Authoree/Principle Investigator
  • Name and telephone number of person reporting
  • Persons contaminated or exposed, estimate of amount on skin
  • Radionuclide involved
  • Amount of radioactivity
  • Volume of released material
  • What steps have been taken so far?

In the event of a spill or emergency related to a radiological laboratory incident during normal business hours (Mon - Fri 8 am to 4:30 pm), REHS should be contacted at 848-445-2550. After business hours or if an injury occurred, call RUPD.

Emergency Procedures for Radiation Incidents

Minor Incident Laboratory Guidelines
  • < 100 uCi of Radioactive Material (RAM)
  • No personal contamination
  • Localized contamination
  • No spread of RAM outside licensed areas
  • Proper tools and knowledge available for clean up
  • Stop source of the spill
  • Warn other personnel
  • Survey and mark the affected areas Minimize exposures
  • Notify Authoree or designee
  • Begin cleanup
  • If area cannot be cleaned, notify REHS at (848) 445-2550
  • Document incident in laboratory survey book
Major Incident
(Any of the following conditions)
Laboratory Guidelines
  • > 100 uCi of Radioactive Material (RAM)
  • Skin and/or clothing contamination is involved (any quantity)
  • Airborne RAM is thought to be present
  • Large areas are contaminated
  • Contamination has spread outside licensed areas
  • Personal injury or fire
  • Anytime you are unsure of what to do, or how to do it
  • Treat life threatening injuries first
  • Evacuate and lock (or post) laboratory if airborne or fire hazard exists Perform first aid, if applicable
  • Remove contaminated clothing
  • Measure and record amount of contamination on skin with applicable meter and wash area gently with warm water and soap
  • Warn other personnel
  • Notify REHS at (848) 445-2550 or REHS-Newark at (973) 972-5305 and Authoree
  • If after hours, call RUPD Try to prevent the spread of contamination, if possible
  • Await the arrival of REHS
Infectious Disease

Emerging infectious diseases are those whose incidence in humans has increased in the past 2 decades or threaten to increase in the near future. These diseases, which respect no national boundaries, can challenge efforts to protect workers as prevention and control recommendations may not be immediately available. The occupational safety and health community can prepare for these unpredictable disease outbreaks and prevent disease transmission with these resources for protecting workers, particularly healthcare workers, nurses, doctors, and first responders.


Center for Disease Control and Prevention resources:

• Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (Ebola virus disease)
CDC is working with other U.S. government agencies, the World Health Organization, and other domestic and international partners in an international response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

• Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
The NIOSH topic page for healthcare workers includes links to CDC information and guidelines on MERS.

• Chikungunya Virus
CDC compilation of information and resources on the virus transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.

The following information is provided for the University community by various University Departments related to emerging infectious diseases affecting our University:

Ebola Health Advisory

  • Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey continues to closely monitor the evolving Ebola situation.
  • Students, faculty, and staff who have traveled to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, or Senegal within the past 21 days are asked to call Student or Occupational Health Office so they can walk you through a quick risk assessment over the phone: healthannouncement.rutgers.edu