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Occupational Health Program
The University of Texas at Austin strives to create a safe and healthful environment for the university community. In support of this goal, the university's Occupational Health Program (OHP) partners with the Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) department to understand working conditions and to ensure that appropriate precautions are taken to protect the university’s most valuable asset—our faculty and staff. Additionally, the OHP serves to treat minor work-related injuries & illnesses and provides health risk counseling to improve overall health & well-being.
Services
Occupational Health Program Services Offered:
- Health risk appraisal and assessments for identified lab safety programs and other university programs that involve higher risk work activities
- Health risk counseling for allergies, reproductive, and immune status issues that may impact your job functions
- Medical clearance and qualitative fit testing for job required respiratory protection
- Job specific TB screening
- Job specific vaccinations* and titers
- Treatment of minor work-related injuries and illnesses
- Case Management for complex work-related injuries and illnesses including post-exposure follow-up
- Assistance with navigating the Texas Workers’ Compensation System and university Leave Policies
* Travel Immunizations are provided by University Health Services
Location & Hours of Operation
HealthPoint OHP is located inside the North Office Building A (NOA) in Room 3.214.
Physical address: 101 E. 27th St., on the corner of 27th and Wichita
Mailing address: Occupational Health Program PO Box 8027 Austin, TX 78713
Campus mail code: A9250
Main phone number: 512-471-4OHP (4647) Fax: 512-471-2666
Hours of operation are Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., closed for lunch noon-1 p.m.
For work injury treatment during hours of closure, follow the Advanced Care and After Hours guidelines below.
Advanced Medical Care & After Hours Support
For emergency work-related injuries, call 911 and ask to be transported to the nearest hospital. If the injury involves an animal, chemical or biological exposure, request transport to a St. David's affiliated emergency room [PDF].
For non-emergent injuries that require treatment during periods of OHP closure, you may contact any health care provider including your own physician so long as they accept workers' compensation. Urgent care clinics that accept workers' compensation include but are not limited to:
- Concentra Medical Centers 8am-8pm, Mon.-Fri. and 10am-6pm, weekends
- NOVA Medical Centers 8:30am-6pm, Mon.-Fri. NOVA provides transportation for those without transport options.
- ProMed Medical Clinics
- St. David's Occupational Health Services [PDF]. Call 544-8195 to schedule an appointment. 8am-4:30pm, Mon.-Fri.
- Seton Occupational Health Clinic Call 324-5650 to schedule an appointment. 8am-4:30pm, Mon.-Fri.
- Texas MedClinic 8am-11pm every day
If urgent consultation with the HealthPoint Occupational Health Program is needed, please call 471-4OHP(4647) and press 1 to be connected to an on-call nurse.
Personal Health Conditions
For personal health care needs, please contact your personal health care provider. Currently, the OHP only offers job specific exams and treatment of minor work-related injuries and illnesses.
If you are a UT Select benefits participant and you have a question about a personal medical condition for yourself or a covered family member, you are eligible to access the Nurseline. This free service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 888-315-9473.
Laboratory Animal & Biomedical Services
OHPLABS Overview
The primary purpose of the Occupational Health Program – Laboratory Animals and Biomedical Services (OHPLABS) is to provide support for the prevention and treatment of occupational exposure to hazardous materials in research laboratories. Hazardous materials exposures included in the program are contact with animals, radiological materials, and select biological and chemical agents.
OHPLABS Enrollment
Enrollment in the OHPLABS is currently limited to UT Austin employees in the following participant groups:
- Researchers and selected other personnel working with bio-hazardous materials.
- Researchers and other personnel working with or exposed to laboratory animals or tissue.
- Researchers and other personnel who have been exposed to hazardous materials that require medical attention and follow up.
UT Austin personnel who may be potentially exposed to bio-hazardous materials and/or animals will be required to complete Part 1. Risk Assessment [PDF] of the OHP-LABS questionnaire. Send the completed and signed questionnaire to the OHP at the location provided above. Please include your supporting medical documentation for any completed (previously provided) mandatory or recommended vaccinations/tests. After OHP receives the completed form and documentation, the individual will be considered "enrolled" in the OHP.
Participation in Part 2. Health Assessment [PDF] of the OHPLABS program is voluntary. The purpose of the health assessment is to provide you with individualized health risk counseling to protect you from infectious disease and other preventable, job/research-related problems. You have some health risk because you work with animals (or fresh/unfixed tissues), have job duties in an animal facility, work with chemical agents and/or work with bio-hazardous materials.
The health assessment questionnaire will be reviewed by OHP, after which you may be contacted to discuss additional recommendations, such as vaccinations or an appointment for health counseling. You may receive educational materials related to your occupational health risks. Let the nurse know if you would like to discuss other health concerns. There will be no cost to you as an employee for these additional components.
Certain positions require that an OHP LABS Update Questionnaire [PDF] be completed on a recurring basis, for example, annually or every three years, as applicable.
Health & Safety Guide for Field Researchers
Fieldwork is an important part of teaching and research at The University of Texas at Austin. Since fieldwork activities take you off campus, this guide is intended to help you plan and prepare for health and safety problems you might encounter in the field.
Confidentiality
Information you provide to the Occupational Health Program is protected from unauthorized or indiscriminate release of personal health information, and medical records are maintained in a confidential manner. Read our Notice of Privacy Practices [PDF].
