Injuries
What the EMPLOYEE should do if injured on the job
- Notify your supervisor immediately, no matter how minor the injury may seem. Report unsafe working conditions to your supervisor or the Environmental Health and Safety Office.
- If necessary, obtain medical attention. You may choose any medical provider that is found within the IMO Network . Inform the medical provider that your injury is work related. Your department will provide you with a Supervisor's First Report of Injury form to give to your medical provider.
- If you miss work due to an on the job injury, you must keep your supervisor informed of your work status by providing a Division of Workers’ Compensation Work Status Report (DWC 73) after each doctor visit. The doctor's office must provide the report to you, the injured employee.
- You must also complete the Employee’s Leave Election Form if you miss time from work other than the day of the injury. The form is provided by your department.
- When your doctor releases you to return to work, you must report to work at the beginning of your next regularly scheduled shift. The DWC 73 report from your doctor indicating a return to work date or any work-related limitations must be given to your supervisor before you may return.
- For more information, contact the Workers' Compensation Coordinator in the Risk Management & Insurance (713-500-8127) or the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation at (281) 260-3035 or 1-800-252-7031.
Needle Sticks and/or Blood Borne Exposures
What the EMPLOYEE should do if an infectious disease exposure occurs
- Notify your supervisor immediately, no matter how minor the incident may seem. If you are exposed to any human or animal body fluids or other potentially infectious materials, you should seek treatment immediately. If you are exposed to a potential infection from HIV, treatments must begin within 1 to 2 hours.
- Contact UT Heath Services Clinic, 6410 Fannin Ste 100, Houston, TX 77030 (UTPB 100), 713-500-3267 (Select Ext.1). If after hours, call the Needlestick Hotline: 800-770-9206 (24-hr answering service will ensure exposure coordinator calls back promptly). Review the protocol for Needlestick/Bloodborne Pathogen or TB Exposure.
- Complete the Supervisors’ First Report of Injury and the Acknowledgement Form to document the injury. The complete packet can be found at https://www.uth.edu/safety/risk-management-and-insurance/ The completed forms should be sent to RMI/WCI.
- Workers' Compensation does not cover an exposure, but the initial treatment is covered in-house making it is essential to contact the needlestick hotline immediately upon exposure. An exposure is not the same as an illness. If after the following above it is found that the employee has developed the disease then RMI/WCI should be notified right away so a claim can be submitted to the insurance carrier. The assigned adjuster will then complete a thorough investigation as each claim is handled individually.
- Report to your supervisor or the Environmental Health and Safety Office at 500-8100 any unsafe condition that caused the infectious disease exposure.
- For more information, contact the Workers' Compensation Coordinator in the Office of Risk Management & Insurance at 713-500-8127.
