Chapter 11, Incident Response

Exposure to an infectious agent, which includes recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, generally does not constitute an emergency in the same sense that a severe physical injury does. In the absence of physical injury, the emphasis when responding to an exposure incident involving a biological agent is on decontamination of affected persons to minimize the likelihood of infection and the spread of contamination. In some cases, the effectiveness of post-exposure prophylactic measures decreases significantly with time; therefore, it is recommended that a medical evaluation be obtained as soon as possible following all exposure incidents.

Wash affected area thoroughly using soap and water. Use of chemical disinfectants to treat the affected area is generally not recommended and can produce skin irritation that could increase the likelihood of infection.

Wash affected area using soap and water. Use of chemical disinfectants or abrasives to treat or clean the affected area is generally not recommended and can increase the likelihood of infection.

Rinse affected areas thoroughly with water using an eye wash, sink faucet, or other means. It is recommended that eyes be rinsed for a minimum of 10 minutes. If ingestion or contact with the mouth or oral cavity occurs, the mouth should be rinsed thoroughly several times using water or antiseptic mouthwash if available.

If inhalation of infectious aerosols is suspected, move out of the area and get help. Decontaminate potentially exposed areas as described above once aerosols have settled and re-entry is safe. Allow at least 30 minutes for aerosols to settle before re-entering the space.

Personnel who are employed by the University of Nevada, Reno (for example, faculty, staff, graduate research or teaching assistants) or are formally designated volunteers are covered by Workers’ Compensation. Employees who experience an occupational injury or exposure to a biological agent or chemical should go to one of the below facilities for medical evaluation and treatment.

Students with no employee status who are exposed to a biological agent or chemical, or injured, can seek medical attention at the Student Health Clinic or the medical facility of their choice. The medical facility should be called for guidance on decontamination, entrance to the facility, etc., prior to transport of the affected person. Students with no employee status are responsible for payment of any healthcare costs.

Occupational Health Clinic (within Patient Centered Family Medicine on the University campus) 101 East Stadium Way, Reno, NV 89557 (775) 784-1100 Monday- Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Concentra Medical Centers 6410 South Virginia Street Reno, NV 89511 (775) 322-5757 Hours: Monday- Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm

ARC Health & Wellness Centers 2205 Glendale Avenue Suite 131 Sparks, NV 89431 (775) 331-3361 Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Nevada Occupational Health Clinic 3488 Goni Road Suite 141 Carson City, NV 89706 (775) 887-5030 Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

For life threatening injuries or treatment outside of Urgent Care facility business hours:

St. Mary's Hospital 235 W. 6 th St. Reno, NV 89503 (775) 770-3800

Upon arrival at the medical facility, report the incident as work-related. The affected employee will be asked to complete a C-4 form (Employee's Claim for Compensation/Report of Initial Treatment). After returning to work, the affected employee must complete a C-1 form (Notice of Injury or Occupational Disease Incident Report). Contact the Workers’ Compensation Office at 775-784-4394 if there are any questions regarding reporting or filing of a Workers’ Compensation claim.

In the event of a personnel exposure or injury, University employees that are aware of the incident are expected to take action to arrange the transport of affected personnel to a medical facility; however, University employees are not required to actually transport injured or exposed personnel. Due to potential for spread of infectious contamination and worsening of the affected person's medical condition during transport, it is generally recommended that exposed or injured persons be transported by ambulance. Other transport options include transport by a University employee when requested by the affected person and agreed to by the transporting employee (preferably using a university-owned vehicle), and self-transport when the injured person is judged to be able to do so safely (however, self-transport is not recommended if other options are available).

Spills of biohazardous agents, which include recombinant and synthetic nucleic acid molecules, do not all represent the same risk to personnel or the environment, making each spill somewhat unique. Nevertheless, preplanning of spill response will lower the risk of cleaning up a spill and will increase the likelihood that the spill is handled appropriately. Laboratory supervisors should prepare their laboratory for typical spill scenarios expected in the laboratory. Laboratory workers should be informed of the hazards of the biological agents used in the laboratory, the risk associated with the agents during spill scenarios, how to safely cleanup spills involving the agents, and proper disposal of cleanup materials.

Each laboratory area should have spill cleanup materials available to respond to the largest spill anticipated for that area. It is recommended that as a minimum, the following spill cleanup materials be available in the laboratory:

The chemical spill kits distributed by EH&S to laboratories contain thick nitrile gloves, absorbent pads, and forceps. Additional items needed for cleanup of biological agents can be added to your chemical spill kit in order to customize it for your laboratory.

There are several factors that must be considered when assessing the risk that a spill represents. These factors include:

As with any spill scenario (biological, chemical, or radiological) the safety of personnel is the most important consideration. Cleanup is to begin only after it is determined that the personnel who will clean up the spill have appropriate knowledge, training, and equipment.

The following are general spill cleanup procedures that are appropriate for most spill scenarios involving biological agents, including recombinant and synthetic nucleic acid molecules; however, the appropriate response to any spill is based on an assessment of the risk associated with that particular situation.

The following guidance is intended for spills of BSL-1 and BSL-2 agents. Spill response for BSL-3 agents is provided by the facility-specific procedures developed for each BSL-3 laboratory.

Chapter 12: Incident Reporting