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Occupational Safety

The Occupational Safety Manager for the Office of Environmental Health and Safety is Brian Deitch.

To contact Brian, please email him at deitchb@tcnj.edu or call him at extension x2881.

Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan

As required, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety offers specialized training, vaccination, and protective measures to attempt to eliminate employee contact with potentially infectious materials.  In addition to assisting in exposure prevention, the Occupational Safety Manager, as TCNJ’s Exposure Control Officer is responsible for follow-up investigations of all reported exposures to potential bloodborne pathogens.

Unwanted contact with another person’s bodily fluids through needlestick, blood or body fluid splatter or splash to the mucous membranes on campus should be reported immediately as follows:

  • Medical Emergencies: Please contact the Office of Campus Police Services in emergencies at extension 2345 on a campus phone or 609-771-2345 on a cellular phone.
  • Employees: Employees are required to report to their supervisor as well as the Office of Human Resources.

Except for cases of rape and other sexual assault, all attempts should be made to immediately rinse, clean, and disinfect the site of exposure.

If you ever encounter blood or suspected bodily fluids on campus, please use Universal Precautions, which requires employees to assume that all human blood and specified human body fluids are known to be infectious for HBV, HIV, and other bloodborne pathogens and must be treated accordingly.  Please contact Building Services for cleaning at extension 2665.  After hours, please contact Campus Police Services at extension 2345. For more information on how to properly dispose of all blood saturated products, please visit the section for Regulated Medical Waste.

Needlesticks/Sharps Injury Prevention

Individuals with occupational or personal exposure to bloodborne pathogens must consider and where appropriate, use effective engineering controls, work practice controls, personal protective equipment, and general housekeeping in order to reduce the risk of injuries including, but not limited to needlesticks and other sharps related injuries.

ENGINEERING CONTROLS

The use of Engineering Controls will be employed to eliminate or minimize exposure to bloodborne pathogens from needlesticks and other sharp instruments. Examples of engineering controls include, but are not limited to:

  • Self-sheathing needles. (OSHA requires sharps with built-in safety devices.)
  • Containers for contaminated sharps that are:
    • Puncture resistant
    • Color-coded or labeled with a biohazard warning label.
    • Leak proof on the sides and bottom.

WORK PRACTICE CONTROLS

The use of Work Practice Controls will be employed to eliminate or minimize exposure to bloodborne pathogens from needlesticks and other sharp instruments. Examples of work practice controls include, but are not limited to:

  • Use Universal Precautions, treat all human blood and certain human body fluids as if they were known to be infectious for HIV, HBV and other bloodborne pathogens, when handling needles and sharps.
  • Do not bend, shear, recap or remove needles and sharps.
    • Sharps include but are not limited to scalpels, sutures, hypodermic needles, blood collection devices, broken glass or phlebotomy devices.
  • Always place contaminated reusable sharps in appropriate containers immediately, or as soon as possible after use.
  • Do not use alternative containers including, but not limited to, household plastic containers, coffee cans and glass containers.
  • Always keep all sharps containers stored in an upright position.
  • Do not place hands in sharps containers.
  • Do not handle broken glassware with bare hands. Use mechanical means.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Personal Protective Equipment is the “last line of defense” against bloodborne pathogens. Therefore, personal protective equipment must also be used if occupational exposure remains after instituting engineering and work practice controls, or if controls are not feasible. The use of Personal Protective Equipment will be employed to eliminate or minimize exposure to bloodborne pathogens from needlesticks and other sharp instruments. Examples of personal protective equipment include, but are not limited to:

  • Gloves
  • Eye protection (splash-proof goggles, safety glasses with side shields)
  • Appropriate clothing (i.e. laboratory coats)
  • Safety/Clean-up kits

For more information on how to properly handle and dispose of all needles and sharps for personal and occupational use, please visit the section on Regulated Medical Waste.
If you are stuck by a needle or sharp, immediately cleanse the wound or site of exposure with soap and water or a skin disinfectant if available. Seek medical assistance by calling Campus Police at extension 2345 on a campus phone or 609-771-2345 on a cellular phone.

Confined Space Entry

Certain employees at the College are required to enter Permit Required Confined Spaces (PRCS). These spaces are identified as spaces that:

  1. Contain or have the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere;
  2. Contain a material that has the potential for engulfing/trapping an entrant;
  3. Can be hazardous due to how they are configured.
  4. Contain any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.

All College employees who perform Permit Required Confined Space entries are required to attend training through our office.  All entrants are required to obtain an air monitor and to submit a Confined Space Entry Permit along with a Campus Map identifying the location(s) to the Occupational Safety Manager prior to performing any entry. The Confined Space Entry Permit must include:

  • A campus map showing the confined space location(s).
  • Names of Employer(s) who are assigned for entry and employee(s) who are assigned as Standby.
  • Location of confined space with the adjacent building(s) name.
  • Detailed job description.
  • Expected Hazards (i.e. inert gas, flammable, electrical, etc.)

CONTRACTOR GUIDELINES FOR PERMIT REQUIRED CONFINED SPACES:

  1. All contractors are to have their own entry (OSHA) procedures and permits.
  2. TCNJ does not supply any equipment for contractor entries.
  3. Contractors should be notified that a space is a permit required confined space and told of anticipated hazards and previous TCNJ experience in the space.
  4. After the entry, debriefing should be conducted with TCNJ staff to determine any hazards confronted or created during the entry.
  5. Work efforts should be coordinated when TCNJ and contractor are entering space at the same time.

Ergonomics

Hearing Conservation

Certain employees at The College are required to work in designated hazardous noise areas as part of their normal work duties. The areas of the campus facilities where noise levels equal or exceed an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) sound level of 85 decibels or more, or where there is a dose of 50 percent, shall be designated hazardous noise areas and appropriate hearing protection shall be required. The Office of Environmental Health and Safety is responsible for providing hearing conservation training to all affected college staff and is responsible for scheduling hearing tests for employees who are enrolled in the medical monitoring program currently offered at Corporate Health in Trenton, NJ.

Hot Work

  • Our office is responsible for approving, coordinating and communicating all hot work (welding, brazing, etc.) on campus.  Please contact the office at extension 2881 for any projects that require hot work.

Lockout/Tagout

  • Certain College employees are required to de-energize electrical equipment on campus. All College Employees who de-energize electrical equipment are required to attend training through our office to comply with the control of Hazardous Energy Sources Lockout/Tagout Program.

Medical Monitoring

  • Certain employees at the College require medical evaluation in order to address current or previous exposure to asbestos, exposure to loud noises above certain levels, prior to using a respirator, or before performing any animal research.
  • To request an appointment for medical monitoring (currently offered at the Corporate Health Center in Trenton, NJ), please contact the Occupational Safety Manager. Employees are not to schedule appointments directly with the Corporate Health Center unless directed.
  • Employees enrolled in the medical monitoring program for asbestos, respiratory protection, and hearing conservation are offered these services annually or as required.
  • For additional information on full-time and part-time faculty and staff working with animals, including student workers who are employed by the College and whose job descriptions include working with animals, as well as students who are not employed by the College, please visit: http://www.tcnj.edu/~iacuc/

Operations Safety Committee

Passenger Van Safety Training

  • Certain employees at the College are required to drive the College’s 12 and 15 passenger vans on and/or off campus. All employees who drive the College’s 12 and 15 passenger vans are required to attend a Van Driver Training Course provided by our office, regardless of experience or prior training.
  • Successful completion of the training is required prior to employees being permitted to operate the College’s 15 passenger vans. The class is based upon the National Safety Council’s Van Driver Training Program, and incorporates video, interactive tabletop exercises, general instruction, and a comprehensive test.
  • Training classes are typically offered at the beginning of each semester based upon identified need. Advanced notification is required for all classes and successful scheduling is based upon identification of need and availability of the Occupational Safety Manager. Training is not offered to individuals. To request group training, please contact the Occupational Safety Manager.

Personal Protective Equipment

  • Personal Protective devices alone should not be relied upon to provide protection against hazards but should be used in conjunction with guards, engineering controls, and sound manufacturing practices.
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes all clothing and accessories designed to create a barrier against workplace hazards. All College employees responsible for the use and maintenance of assigned personal protective equipment are required to comply with all the provisions in the College’s Personal Protective Equipment Program. Our office is responsible for providing personal protective equipment training to all affected college staff and periodic training when circumstances dictate it necessary and appropriate. If you need personal protective equipment assistance, please contact the Occupational Safety Manager.

Powered Air-Purifying Respirator

Respiratory Protection

  • Certain employees at the College are required to wear respiratory protection in the course of their normal work duties where there is a potential exposure to airborne contaminants. Our office is responsible for providing respiratory protection training to all affected college staff and is responsible for scheduling a physical examination, including a pulmonary function test, for employees who are enrolled in the medical monitoring program.  For more information, please visit the section for Medical Monitoring.

Trenching/Excavation

  • Certain employees at the College are required to work in trenches and excavations. These spaces are identified as spaces that are less than or equal to 16 feet in depth. Spaces that are greater than 16 feet in depth require an outside contractor. Spaces greater than 20 feet in depth require a registered professional engineer. As part of the requirements for excavation inspections, before work is started all College employees should submit an online work order request or by calling extension 2353 to Facilities Operations two weeks prior of any excavation work to identify all underground utility lines. This includes sewer, telephone, fuel, electric, water lines, or any other underground installation. All College employees that work in trenches and excavations are required to attend training through our office.

Reporting a Safety Compliance (non-security) Concern

  • If you have any questions or concerns regarding safety compliance, please contact the Occupational Safety Manager.
  • Emergencies or security issues are to be reported immediately to Campus Police Services at 609-771-2345.  Emergencies can also be reported by dialing 911 from any hard wired campus phone.
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