Any direct physical contact with an unknown animal, especially if it results in a bite or scratch, could have serious health consequences. 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

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

• Being bitten by a bat
• Sleeping individuals awaken 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

• 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 who 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.

First, you must decide on whether to evacuate the immediate area of the spill. If you find yourself in a situation where 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, recreation, outdoors) setting, please contact REHS for assistance.

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

Laboratories

• Place paper towels over the entire spill and apply disinfectant.
• Allow 20 minutes of contact time with the disinfectant.
• Wipe down the spill area with appropriate disinfectant.
• Place contaminated sharps in a sharps container.
• Place other disposable materials and treat them as regulated medical waste.
• Wash hands when gloves are removed.

Clinical Areas

Report the 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

• 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 the spill area with 1:10 bleach solution or another appropriate disinfectant.

For employees or lab workers with potential exposure:

For students with potential exposure:

First, you must decide on whether to evacuate the immediate area of the spill. If you find yourself in a situation where 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 you have the appropriate laboratory training, you can clean up a chemical spill yourself. Determine 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

• 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.

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

When an incident occurs, the worker must first make a judgment as to whether the incident is minor or major. The chart below will help you to determine 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:

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

Emerging infectious diseases are those whose incidence in humans has increased in the past 2 decades or threatens 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:

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 the Student or Occupational Health Office so they can walk you through a quick risk assessment over the phone: healthannouncement.rutgers.edu