The requirements for an occupational health program for personnel working with laboratory animals are found in a variety of sources such as the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (2011) and the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. In addition, this program follows guidance and requirements for promoting occupational safety on campus under UMBCs Policy on Environmental Safety and Health Management and Enforcement.
As such, the UMBC Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) has created, in conjunction with Environmental Safety and Health and the Office for Research Protections and Compliance, an occupational health and safety program with the primary purpose of educating and promoting safe practices and personnel safety as well as preventing occupational injury and illness.
Who is covered in this program:
Every individual who will conduct procedures as well as daily care and maintenance involving animals are covered by this program. These include:
- Principal Investigators on IACUC protocols
- Research Staff listed on IACUC protocols
- Animal Care Staff
- Student Employees using and caring for animals
Animal research protocols will not be approved by the UMBC IACUC until the below steps are followed and documented.
Persons working with animals should be aware of the potential dangers associated with animal contact. These include but are not limited to: animal bites, scratches, and kicks; allergens; pathogenic organisms; and parasites. Many simple steps can be taken to lessen the risk of working with animals. Use good personal hygiene: wash hands after animal contact and before leaving the animal facility; do not eat, drink, smoke, handle contact lenses, or apply cosmetics in work areas and wash hands before engaging in these activities. Wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, disposable gowns, as required or recommended.
Important notice (February 2013)
Animal care personnel received an email notice regarding the training and risk assessment requirements. The IACUC is phasing in compliance with the updated program during the Spring 2013 semester. Personnel who are identified as personnel on current IACUC approved protocols must complete these training and risk assessment requirements no later than March 31, 2013. The ORPC will monitor registration and assessment completion with ESH. Individuals who do not meet the March 31 date will need to suspend animal activities until they are in compliance. Individuals identified on new protocol submissions after March 31, 2013 must complete these requirements before IACUC approval is provided.
Follow these steps:
- Become educated about occupational safety and health issues while working with animals. Animal care personnel must register for the required web-based training program "Basic Guide to UMBC's Occupational Safety and Health Program". This two-part tutorial covers the basics of animal safety and working in a laboratory setting as well as specific safety issues and precautions concerning rodents, fish, birds, amphibians, and wild vertebrates. Completing this tutorial takes approximately 45 minutes. Click on the registration link and hit "Submit". UMBC Environmental Safety and Health will send a confirmation with the direct link for the training. Training must be completed when individuals are listed as personnel at the time of submission of a new IACUC study, the renewal of an expiring study, or when new personnel are added to a study that haven’t taken completed training previously. Training must be repeated every three (3) years.
- Animal care personnel must also complete the required UMBC Laboratory Animal Risk Assessment Form. The form assess if you may be “at risk” by working in the lab animal environment. The form is reviewed by environmental safety and health professionals to determine your potential risks of working in this environment. To work in UMBCs animal facilities, at a minimum, animal care personnel must have a current tetanus inoculation (<10 years old). If you identify health issues on the risk assessment form that would medically impact your ability to work in the animal facility, ESH will refer you to a medical surveillance provider (University of Maryland Family Medicine Associates) for further health assessment. Services include physical examinations, immunizations and laboratory testing. These services will be billed directly to your UMBC department. Note that any information collected will be stored in accordance with current regulatory, privacy, and confidentiality requirements. Risk assessments must be completed when individuals are included as personnel at the time of submission of a new IACUC study, the renewal of an expiring study, when personnel are added to a study that haven’t taken completed an assessment previously, or if an individual’s personal health status changes. The assessment will be good for three (3) years.
Complete laboratory or animal protocol specific on-line training options, as required by your supervisor or specific animal work functions. In addition to above occupational safety education program, current one-line training options are provided by Environmental Safety and Health and the Office for Research Protections and Compliance. The University of Maryland Family Medicine Associates also offers general in-service program on risk topics including bloodborne pathogens, animal allergens/bites, hazardous materials/chemical exposure radiation exposure) and acute injuries. When available, please check the current schedule is found at http://my.umbc.edu/groups/compliance/events.
If you have health/safety concerns, you are urged to talk to your supervisor immediately or contact the Environmental Safety and Health or the Office for Research Protections and Compliance listed below for advice and assistance.
Reporting Incidents, Injuries, and/or Hazardous Exposure
Any occupational injury, hazardous exposure, or other safety incident should be reported in accordance procedures found on the Environmental Safety and Health website.
For more information contact:
Environmental Safety and Health
http://www.umbc.edu/safety/
410-455-2918
esh@umbc.edu
Office for Research Protections and Compliance
http://www.umbc.edu/ORPC/
410-455-2737
compliance@umbc.edu
Also, please review these sources for more information about occupational safety and health:
- Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (2011)- Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR)
- Guidelines for the Care and Use of Mammals in Neuroscience and Behavioral Research - Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources (ILAR)
- AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia (2007)
- A guide for the laboratory use of zebrafish —University of Oregon
- Guidelines for the Use of Fishes in Research - American Fisheries Society, 2004
- Guidelines to the Use of Wild Birds in Research - The Ornithological Council (1997)
- Guidelines for use of Live Amphibians and Reptiles in Field and Laboratory Research - American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, 2004
- Zoonotic Diseases - Barbara Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, University of California, Santa Barbara
- Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals - Committee on Occupational Safety and Health in Research Animal Facilities, Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council, 1997
- An Ergonomics Process for the Care and Use of Research Animals - Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, National Research Council, ILAR Journal V44(1) 2003
- Chemical Safety in Animal Care, Use, and Research - Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, National Research Council, ILAR Journal V44(1) 2003
- Laboratory Animal Allergies - Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals (1997), Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR)
last update 01/15/2013