What do I do if I am injured on the job?
Immediately report the accident/incident to your supervisor, and report to Occupational Health Services to complete and employee accident/incident report if the accident/incident occurs between the hours of 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. If the accident/incident occurs after-hours, immediately report to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care.
I was injured at work and received a call from EHS after the incident. Why is EHS contacting me?
EHS reviews all occupational injury reports and conducts investigations for cases that fall under the following categories:
- cases where there may be preventative measures that can be implemented to prevent future injuries to WCM staff
- cases that raise questions or require additional information
- cases where corrective action needs to be taken to remove a hazard
- cases that require further study or job hazard analysis, such as ergonomics issues
- cases where engineering controls may be implemented to prevent injuries
- cases where further staff education or training may be necessary
All information collected during the investigation is kept confidential and used strictly to help reduce and prevent occupational injuries at WCM.
When working with chemical in a laboratory, how do I know that my exposure to the chemicals is not unsafe?
Refer to the 
Chemical Hygiene Plan for general information about minimizing exposure to chemicals. EHS can monitor you personally with a film badge or monitoring pump to determine your exposure level. Contact EHS to discuss further.
What is personal protective equipment?
Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect employees from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical or other workplace hazards. Besides face shields, safety glasses, hard hats and safety shoes, PPE includes a variety of devices and garments such as goggles, coveralls, gloves, vests, earplugs and respirators.
Is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) considered the first line of defense against hazards?
No. Using PPE is often essential, but it is generally the last line of defense, after engineering controls, work practices and administrative controls. Engineering controls involve physically changing a machine or work environment (e.g. use of a chemical hood or biosafety cabinet). Administrative controls involve changing how or when employees do their jobs, such as scheduling work and rotating employees to reduce exposures. Work practices involve training workers how to perform tasks in ways that reduce their exposure to workplace hazards.
What is a material safety data sheet?
A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is a compilation of information required under the OSHA Hazard Communication standard on the identity of hazardous chemicals, physical and health hazards, exposure limits, precautions, personal protective equipment required when handling the material, and procedures that should be followed in the case of an emergency. The MSDS for a given material is provided by its manufacturer. EHS maintains an MSDS search page to assist in obtaining MSDSs.
What are the guidelines for waste anesthetic gases?
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has established a recommended exposure limit (REL) for nitrous oxide of 25 parts per million (ppm) and 45 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m(3)) as a time-weighted average (TWA) for the duration of the exposure. In addition, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has assigned nitrous oxide a threshold limit value (TLV) of 50 ppm and (90 mg/m(3)) as a TWA for a normal eight-hour workday and a 40-hour workweek. EHS is available to monitor work areas to determine exposure levels.
How do I get my employee health records or test (such as PPD) results?
Please contact Workforce Health and Safety at (212) 746-4370.