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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE
Office of Research Integrity & Outreach
Procedure #: / 01-014Date Adopted:
Last Updated: / 07/11/2012
Prepared By: / Sarah Gilliam, Animal Facilities Manager
Brian Lynn, Research Integrity Administrator
Reviewed By: / USM IACUC Committee, USM H.R. Director of Injury Management
Procedure Title: /
Occupational Health & Safety Program
1.0Purpose: To prevent or minimize the risk of occupational injury & illness while using vertebrate animals in an official capacity at the University of Southern Maine.
2.0Responsibility: It is the responsibility of all personnel who work in the animal facility, or who are in contact with animals or animal products, to follow the procedures established in this document.
3.0Animal Contact risk assessment for all students, visitors, & personnel of USM:
3.1Risk Group A: Those who directly handle animals.
3.1.1Before gaining access to the facility, beginning work on a field study, arriving as a guest to work with animals, or handling vertebrate animals or their tissues, all personnel must receive and review the information handout for Risk Group A.
3.1.1.1It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to distribute copies of the Risk Group A informational handout to all applicable personnel, visitors and students who directly handle animals.
3.1.2All personnel, visitors and students who repeatedly work directly with animals are required to complete the Initial Animal Use Questionnaire and subsequently must take an Annual Health Survey every year after that they continue to have direct contact.
3.1.3All students and personnel must complete a basic animal facility training program before being allowed entry to the facility itself.
3.2Risk Group B: Those who come into indirect contact with animals or the animal facility.
3.2.1Indirect contact is defined as being within close proximity to animals used in research or teaching, or within close proximity to the animal facility. Examples include (but are not limited to) working in a lab where animals or animal tissues are present, accessing the basement hallway adjacent to the animal facility or being present on a field study project but with no direct animal contact.
3.2.2Before beginning the activity in which the student, visitor or personnel will indirectly be exposed to animals, they must receive and review the Risk Group B information handout.
3.2.2.1It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to distribute copies of the Risk Group B informational handout to all applicable personnel, visitors and students who will indirectly be exposed to animals or their tissues.
3.2.3It is theresponsibility of individual personnel, visitors or students to notify the University Environmental Health and Safety Office if they have any known animal allergies, or if an injury or allergy occurs while using animals.
4.0Animal Facility Known Hazards: All personnel who are to gain entry to the animal facility shall have orientation training that will include the hazards associated with working in an animal facility.
4.1Biological:
4.1.1Zoonotic diseases
4.1.1.1A list of zoonotic diseases will be posted on each animal room door.
4.1.1.2Animal screening will occur at the vendor level before the animalswill be allowed into the animal facility.
4.2Chemical: All chemicals shall be labeled appropriately and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all chemicals will be placed in an accessible area of the facility.
4.2.1Bleach
4.2.2Anesthetic gases
4.2.3Disinfectants
4.2.4Cleaners/Detergents
4.2.5Tissue fixatives
4.2.6Pesticides & fungicides
4.2.7Lab chemicals involved in individual projects
4.2.7.1Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) provided to the animal facility by the Principal Investigator.
4.3Physical:
4.3.1Machinery (autoclave, cage washer)
4.3.2Animal bites or scratches
4.3.3Sharps (needles, scalpels)
4.3.4Lighting (UV, low light levels)
4.3.5Gas cylinders
4.3.6Electricity
4.3.7Noise (resulting from machinery, loud animals)
4.3.8Radiation
4.3.9Ergonomics (lifting, loading)
4.3.10Animal allergens
4.4Protocol related:
4.4.1Infectious agents
4.4.1.1The investigator shall provide the following information to the animal facilities manager:
4.4.1.1.1Virulence, communicability, routes of exposure, shedding patterns, prevalence, and availability of prophylaxis and therapy
4.4.1.2Before being used, the agent must be approved by IACUC and the Biosafety Committee and be assigned an Animal Biosafety Level (ABL).
4.4.1.3Requirements and ABL assigned to a project will be posted and followed accordingly.
4.4.1.3.1A sign will be posted that will list the agent, the ABL assigned, the necessary precautions, and the emergency contact personnel.
4.4.1.3.2Entry into these rooms will be restricted to essential personnel only.
5.0Orientation
5.1Pre-placement
5.1.1Employee or student must have a current Tetanus immunization.
5.1.1.1Documentation of immunization should be provided toUniversity Environmental Safety & Health.
5.1.1.2Vaccination needs to be updated every 10 years.
5.1.2Medical history for those with repeated and substantial direct contact with animals (ex-allergies, asthma, etc.)
5.1.2.1History is taken via the Animal Use Questionnaire.
5.1.3All personnel will receive a corresponding handout outlining the animal-related risk associated with their job depending on their assigned risk group.
5.2During employment
5.2.1Monitoring of employee’s physical health
5.2.1.1For those working directly with the animals, this will be done via an annual health status questionnaire.
5.3Education and Training
5.3.1Training prior to entering animal facility
5.3.1.1Includes identification and avoidance of potential hazards, incident procedure, and personal protective equipment.
5.3.2Personnel will be given an informational handout that specifies the anticipated risks associated with their direct or indirect contact with animals. This document also includes the contact information for the appropriate offices at USM.
5.3.2.1Personnel are expected to read this informational handout thoroughly and to contact University Environmental Health and Safety if they have any pre-existing medical conditions.
5.3.3Additional training available as needed
5.3.3.1Includes available consultation with other staff members.
5.4Appropriate job descriptions or classifications will be assigned to individual positions.
6.0Injury reporting
6.1In an emergency situation, emergency services are to be called immediately by dialing 911.
6.2Injuries of a non-emergency nature can be treated:
6.2.1On premises via first aid, or
6.2.2At Bayside Employee Health if the injury is to a USM employee (includes student-workers), or
6.2.3At the USM Student Health Services office or by primary care physician if the injury is to a student
6.3If any employee or student is injured, the USM Police must be called, and the following forms must be filled out:
6.3.1Human Resources Injury Report
6.3.1.1Original will be faxed to and filed with the Injury Management Office as soon as possible.
6.3.2University Environmental Health and Safety Personal Injury Report for Animal Incidents
6.3.2.1A copy of the original should be given to the animal facilities manager as well as to University Environmental Safety & Health.
6.3.3University Environmental Health and Safety Bloodborne Pathogen Incident Form
6.3.3.1A copy of the original should be given to the animal facilities manager as well as to University Environmental Safety & Health.
6.4Emergency Equipment on premises:
6.4.1First Aid Kit, including burn treatment.
6.4.2Fire extinguisher
6.4.3Emergency shower
6.4.4Eye Wash Station
7.0Monitoring of injuries
7.1Listing of all injuries kept on file by the Benefits Office within the Office of Human Resources.
7.2Injuries and incidents will be reported to IACUC.
7.3USM’sUniversity Environmental Health & Safety Office, in accordance with OSHA regulations, keeps records on all injuries. The Benefits Office within Human Resources also maintains these records.
SOP 03-017