Medical Consultation and Examination

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1. Employees Who Work With Hazardous Substances

All employees who work with hazardous substances will have an opportunity to receive medical attention, including any follow-up visits that the examining physician determines to be necessary, under the following circumstances:

Signs or symptoms of exposure

Whenever an employee develops signs or symptoms associated with a hazardous substance or organism to which the employee may have been exposed in the laboratory, the employee will be provided an opportunity to receive an appropriate medical examination.

Exposure monitoring

Where exposure monitoring reveals an exposure level routinely above the action level (or in the absence of an action level, the PEL) for an OSHA regulated substance for which there are exposure monitoring and medical surveillance requirements, medical surveillance will be established for the affected employee as prescribed by the particular standard.

Exposure incident

Whenever an event takes place in the work area such as a spill, leak, explosion or other occurrence resulting in the likelihood of a hazardous exposure, the affected employee will be provided an opportunity for a medical consultation. Such consultation will be for the purpose of determining the need for a medical examination.

Physical Injury

Whenever an employee is physically hurt or injured on the job, the affected employee will be provided an opportunity for a medical consultation and/or examination. Physical injuries include but are not limited to cuts, burns, punctures and sprains.

Contact the Chemical Hygiene Officer whenever the need for medical consultation or examination occurs, or when there is uncertainty as to whether any of the above criteria have been met.

2. Medical Examinations and Consultations

In the event of a life-threatening illness or injury, dial 911 and request an ambulance. Employees with urgent, but non-life-threatening, illnesses or injuries should go to the nearest medical clinic. The University of Minnesota's Occupational Medicine Program is located in Boynton Health Service. If off-hours medical attention is required, the employee should be taken to the emergency room at Fairview University Medical Center's University campus. All medical examinations and consultations will be performed by or under the direct supervision of a licensed physician and will be provided without cost to the employee, without loss of pay and at a reasonable time and place.

3. Workers' Compensation Procedures and Forms

It is very important that even minor job-related injuries or illness are reported. These statistics help the Department of Environmental Health and Safety track trends that may indicate occupational hazards that need evaluation. To report an illness or injury, go to the Workers’ Compensation website. University of Minnesota's Policy for Reporting Workers' Compensation Related Injuries is also available on the web. Both sites provide links to the forms listed below.

This policy explains the procedures and provides the necessary reporting forms. As long as the illness or injury is not life threatening, the supervisor should provide the employee with:

a brochure describing Workers' Compensation Information for the University of Minnesota;
a completed Employers' Authorization for Care form; and
a Work Status Report for the physician to complete and return to the supervisor.

Within 24 hours, the supervisor should complete:

a State of Minnesota First Report of Injury form;
a U of MN Employee Incident Report form; and
a U of MN Supervisor Incident Investigation Report.

Within 24 hours, supervisors must fax the State form to Sedgwick Claims Management Services at (612) 826-3785, and the U of MN forms to the University of Minnesota's Workers' Compensation Department (612)-627-1855.

4. Information Provided to Physician

The employee's supervisor or department will collect and transmit the following information to the examining physician:

The identity of the hazardous substance(s) to which the employee may have been exposed;
A description of the conditions under which the exposure occurred including quantitative exposure data, if available; and
A description of the signs and symptoms of exposure that the employee is experiencing, if any.

5. Information Provided to the University of Minnesota

Supervisors should request that the examining physician provide them with a written report including the following:

Any recommendation for further medical follow-up;
The results of the medical examination and any associated tests;
Any medical condition which may be revealed in the course of the examination which may place the employee at increased risk as a result of exposure to a hazardous chemical found in the workplace; and
A statement that the employee has been informed by the physician of the results of the consultation or medical examination and any medical condition that may require further examination or treatment.

The written opinion will not reveal specific findings of diagnoses unrelated to occupational exposure.