MEDICAL EVALUATION AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE FOR PERSONNEL

1. Occupational Health and Safety Program
   
   Occupational health services include medical surveillance for employees who work with pesticides, chemicals, and infectious agents. Personnel working with radioactive materials are required to wear monitoring devices for periodic determination of exposure levels. All areas where radioisotopes are utilized are monitored for environmental radiation levels. All areas where radiation, chemical or biohazardous agents are used are prominently labeled. Employees are informed of potential risks associated with the use of hazardous agents and provided with training specific to those agents to which exposure is possible.
   
   The employee health and safety program is jointly administered by the MSU Occupational Health Service, the Office of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Safety (ORCBS), and the Safety and Public Health Section in the Department of Police and Public Safety.
   
   Olin Health Center, a fully accredited ambulatory care facility, provides both urgent and follow-up medical care. The Olin Health Center program includes:
   
   
   • Initial examination of new employees (this includes both regular and student employees)
   • Physical exam, blood pressure, medical questionnaire
   • Blood for CBC, SMAC
   • Screening spirometry (FVC, FEV, FEV/FVC, FEF 25-75)
   • Initial immunizations are offered
   • Tetanus
   • Rabies if exposed to dogs and cats, wild carnivores, or unfixed necropsy specimens of non- laboratory animals
   • Hepatitis B for individuals who work in the incinerators
   • Annual questionnaire and brief physical exam
   • Periodic booster immunizations
   
   ORCBS responsibilities include:
   • Inspecting laboratories and equipment for safety
   • Monitoring the environment for radiological, biological and chemical contamination
   • Supervising the handling of hazardous waste
   • Administering the University wide Right-to-Know program
   
   The Safety and Public Health Section is responsible for:
   • Fire prevention
   • Food service sanitation
   • Emergency management
   • Pest Management
   • Asbestos
   • Monitoring the University water supply
   • Occupational health and safety inspections
   • Investigations and reports for MIOSHA
   
   A working group has been set up to address the scope of issues raised by the National Research Council's Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals (1997), for example, allergens and endemic diseases of the animals resident on campus. This committee will review the mechanisms for identifying potential risks, the process by which they are managed, and the efficacy of information distribution, personnel protection and availability of aggregate data.
   
   
2. Aspects of Program that Especially Apply to Personnel Potentially Exposed to Hazardous Agents, and Procedures for Reporting Exposure and Potential Hazards
   
   Animal care staff should report exposures to their supervisors, who will contact ORCBS and Olin Occupational Health Service.

Index of Occupational Health and Safety