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Needlesticks and Other Biohazardous Exposure Procedures
If you or one of your employees is exposed to bloodborne or other biohazards (infectious agents, rDNA, biological toxins, etc), by a needle-stick or other exposure, it is necessary to seek medical attention within 1-2 hours so that treatment is instituted within a timeframe that increases effectiveness.
- Types of Hazardous Exposures
- Emergency Procedure
- Additional Information
Types of Hazardous Exposures
Hazardous exposures include:
- Percutaneous inoculation/puncture with biohazards by a sharp instrument or sharp needle
- Contact with biohazards through fresh cuts (less than 24 hours), animal bites, scratches, or mucous membrane contact (e.g. splash to the eye or mouth, or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation) or
- Skin exposure involving large amounts of biohazards or prolonged contact with biohazards, especially when the exposed skin is chapped, abraded or afflicted with dermatitis.
Emergency Procedure
- Administer first aid if necessary.
- Call 911 or seek medical attention.
- For urgent care employees may go to HealthPartners Occupational and Environmental Medicine (M/F day time or Urgent care after hours), or UMMC-Fairview Hospital (24 hrs). You may seek medical attention at the closest available medical facility or your own healthcare provider.
- Follow-up must be done by HealthPartners Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
- Report the incident to your supervisor as soon as possible, fill out the appropriate documentation.
- Send Incident Report Form to the IBC if exposure has occurred during work on an IBC protocol. Any accident involving recombinant DNA must be reported to the IBC office within 24 hours to meet institutional requirements prescribed by The NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules.
- Report all biohazard exposures to the Office of Occupational Health and Safety (626-5008) or uohs@umn.edu.
Note: It is importantto fill out all of the appropriate documents to be eligible to collect workers compensation should any complications from the hazardous exposure arise in the future.
Additional Information
There is no cost to the employee for medical services provided in these incidents.
HealthPartners Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinics and Urgent Care, and the Emergency Room at Fairview University Medical Center (if the exposure occurs after hours) stock the drugs currently recommended for treatment within 1-2 hours of accidental exposures to HIV.