IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY BY CALLING 881-7777.

 

1.         ACCIDENT REPORTING

 

An accident is defined as, "that unexpected event that produces bodily injury or property damage or requires medical treatment."

 

A.        Employee Accidents

 

(1)        All accidents involving employees will be reported immediately to the Department of Public Safety.  Officers of the Department of Public Safety will provide emergency care if required, conduct an investigation, and complete an official report.

 

(2)        Serious accidents involving serious bodily injury (including loss of life) and property damage must also be reported immediately to Personnel Services, who will notify the appropriate UT System office.  If the accident occurs after working hours, Personnel Services should be contacted the next scheduled work day.

 

(3)        All accidents to employees are to be reported to Personnel Services and to the Safety Officer within 48 hours of the occurrence by use of a Supervisor's Accident/Incident form, even though the accidents may be considered of minor nature and may result in no lost time and little or no medical expense.

 

(4)        The employee will, as soon as it is practical, report the accident or injury to his or her supervisor who should then provide the necessary guidance and assistance to the injured employee as demanded by the situation.

 

(5)        The supervisor should seek witnesses to the accident and visit the accident site as soon as is practical to ascertain facts bearing on the accident.  The supervisor will complete the Supervisor's Accident/Incident form as soon as possible and submit the original to Personnel Services and a copy to the Safety Officer.  A follow-up report will be completed by the Safety Officer as necessary.

 

(6)        Within 48 hours, the supervisor should contact the Benefits Clerk in Personnel Services to initiate a formal accident report as required under the University program for Worker's Compensation.

 

(7)        In those cases when Student Health Services treats the injured employee, Student Health will prepare the Attending Physician's Report and submit it to Personnel Services.

 

(8)        Personnel Services will report the accident to the appropriate UT System office within thirty (30) days in order to meet TOSHA and Worker's Compensation guidelines.

 

B.        All Other Accidents

 

(1)        All accidents involving individuals other than employees while on the job should be reported immediately to the Department of Public Safety.  The Department of Public Safety will provide emergency care if required, conduct an investigation, and complete an official report.

 

(2)        Serious accidents involving serious bodily injury (including loss of life) and property damage must be reported immediately to the Safety Officer and campus Risk Manager who will each notify their UTM System contacts.  If the accident occurs after working hours, the campus Risk Manager would be contacted the next scheduled working day.

 

(3)        A Report of an Occurrence form should be completed by the staff member who, at the time of the accident, was in charge of the student's instruction or other activities; by other University personnel who witnessed the accident; or by those who were, at the time of the accident, in charge of or sponsored the meeting or event being attended by the student, visitor, guest, etc.

 

(4)        The completed Report of an Occurrence form should be immediately submitted to the campus Risk Manager and any inquiries concerning claims against the University should be referred to that office.  This report is confidential and should not be available to unauthorized persons.  Requests for the report should be referred to the campus Risk Manager.

 

(5)        The campus Risk Manager will maintain a complete file for each accident to include the Department of Public Safety's report, any witnesses' statements, the completed Report of an Occurrence, reports from the Safety Officer, and any other pertinent reports, such as the Housing Department's Incident Reports or lifeguard reports.

 

(6)        The campus Risk Manager will be responsible for forwarding the aforementioned reports to the UT System's Office of Risk Management as soon as possible.

 

(7)        The Office of Risk Management will use the reports as the basis for the investigation of the cause or origin of potential claims against the University that are to be investigated or evaluated in the event of litigation or a claim against a third party.

 

2.         INCIDENT REPORTING

 

An incident shall be defined as, "that circumstance, event, or occurrence that could produce bodily injury or property damage."

 

A.        Incidents, as defined above, should be recorded on the Report of an Occurrence form which is promptly sent to the campus Risk Manager.  Incidents should be reported by employees, students, or others who are knowledgeable of the incident.

 

B.        The campus Risk Manager will send a copy of the Report of an Occurrence to the Safety Officer for investigation and corrective action, if necessary.  Copies will be forwarded to the UT System's Office of Risk Management as necessary.

 

3.         RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SAFETY OFFICER

 

The Safety Officer will make follow-up reports and recommendations for corrective action as necessary.

 

4.         RESPONSIBILITIES AND RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES

 

Each employee will be responsible for reporting all accidents and incidents resulting in injury or property loss in accordance with the University's Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual, Section 750.