Occupational Health and Safety Program For All Personnel Handling and Working Near Laboratory Animals

The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) program for personnel working with or near laboratory animals follows the guidelines set forth in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Guide, 1996 and subsequent revisions), as well as other pertinent documents. The PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (IV,A,1,f) requires a "health program for personnel who work in laboratory animal facilities or have frequent contact with animals." The same PHS Policy (IV,A,1) requires institutions receiving PHS financial support to use the Guide in developing its various animal care and use programs. The Guide itself (pp.14-18) discusses many aspects of an occupational health and safety program. Our accreditation agency (AAALAC) also uses the Guide as a basis for its review of our program of animal care and use, including our occupational health and safety program. Other appropriate documents (e.g., those of OSHA) also apply to aspects of the animal care and use program.

This program includes all persons, both university and nonuniversity employees, who work with laboratory animals, and in certain instances, work near laboratory animals. As examples, this policy includes (but is not limited to) animal care technicians, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, supervisors of animal care, researchers, graduate students, postdoctoral students, research technicians, maintenance personnel, and outside contractors.

General oversight of the entire OHS program for persons using laboratory animals is the responsibility of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

1. Physical examinations will be provided by the Office of Employee and Student Health at Hahnemann University Hospital and MCP Hospital. Table 1 lists those persons who must have a physical examination before initiating any work with laboratory animals. Persons refusing necessary vaccinations will be required to sign a release. Table 1 lists those persons who must provide a health history form to an OHS physician so that the physician can determine if a physical examination is necessary. Health history forms are available from the Office of Employee and Student Health or the Office of Research.
2. Any person working with or near laboratory animals may voluntarily submit a health history form to the OHS or private physician for evaluation of the need for a physical examination.
3. Any person listed on an IACUC protocol as working with or near laboratory animals shall have written health approval from an OHS or private physician to do so. Any limiting conditions set by the physician must be written on that approval. The IACUC shall assure that this approval is present prior to a person's participation on an IACUC approved protocol.
4. All persons listed in Table 1 as needing "Required Training" must partake in the basic OHS training program provided by the university's Biosafety Officer. Topics to be included are listed in Table 2 and may be modified by the Biosafety Officer as he or she deems appropriate. Satisfactory completion of the program shall be assured by the issuance of a Certificate of Completion. The IACUC shall assure that this approval is present prior to a person's participation on an IACUC approved protocol.
5. Other forms of training, as mandated by either the IACUC, University Biosafety Committee, Radiation Safety Committee, or other appropriate university committees or offices will be provided as detailed by those entities.
6. Areas marked "maybe" in Table 1 will be based upon the closeness of animal contact, known risks from zoonotic or other infectious diseases, etc. This decision will be made by the University Veterinarian in consultation (if appropriate) with an OHS physician.

1. Conditions listed in Table 2 are used to supplement, not replace the OHS training program provided by the university's Biosafety Officer.
   For example:
   • University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR) veterinary technicians who provide Species Specific Certification and training will advise persons they are testing or training about the potential for allergies to develop to laboratory animals, and to rodents in particular. They will advise these people to see an OHS physician, or their private physician, if allergy symptoms develop.
   • It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator (PI) to assure that all research personnel under his/her responsibility partake in the appropriate parts of this OHS program. The Supervisors of Animal Care and Attending Veterinarian will assume the same responsibility for those persons who report to them.
   • The Office of Human Resources and the IACUC are responsible for assuring that employees and other persons (e.g., volunteers, students) receive a health examination prior to initially working with laboratory animals.
   • Persons handling or coming into close contact with either nonhuman primates, animals known to harbor a zoonotic disease, or animals with a reasonable potential for having a zoonotic disease (e.g., a pregnant sheep is at risk for harboring Q-fever) will receive additional information and training on those zoonotic diseases and their prevention. This information, both oral and written, will be provided by the University Veterinarian or his/her delegate. The veterinarian will inform the IACUC, in writing, when this process has been completed.
2. The University Biosafety Committee shall be responsible for providing oversight of specific OHS precautions required for those unique biosafety concerns that often occur during the course of biomedical research. For example: an investigator desiring to work with nitrosomethylurea, a carcinogen capable of producing mammary cancer in rats and other animals, must, in addition to the general requirements of this OHS program, abide by the more specific requirements of the University Biosafety Committee concerning the safe use of this chemical.

Prior to the initiation of any procedure using animals with either ionizing or nonionizing radiation (excluding diagnostic x-rays), the PI must complete the Radioactive Materials in Laboratory Animals questionnaire of the Radiation Safety Committee, and obtain approval from the Radiation Safety Committee and the IACUC.

Prior to the initiation of any procedure using a biohazard in laboratory animals, the Principal Investigator must complete the Animal Addendum of the University Biosafety Committee form, and obtain that committee's approval, and approval of the IACUC. Biohazards to humans include (but are not limited to) infectious organisms, chemical carcinogens, recombinant DNA, and toxins.

The IACUC form requires that an investigator identify any potential biohazard to humans, as well as the use of radiation and recombinant DNA.

Tuberculin skin testing will be provided to all ULAR animal and veterinary care employees who do not have a history of a reactive test, at their initial physical examination at the time of hire, and no less often than every twelve months thereafter. It will be given as medically indicated for those with known or suspected exposure. Any other person working with nonhuman primates, nonhuman primate blood (or other body fluids) or nonhuman primate tissues also must be tested no less often than annually, and prior to first working with those animals or their tissues. Exceptions include those who have had BCG vaccine administered within the previous 3 years or who have had a previous TB infection and treatment. These latter people must undergo an annual health screening by the university's Occupational Health and Safety physicians, or another physician acceptable to the university.

Personnel who had a positive skin test and did not receive medical treatment must have their entry into nonhuman primate colonies and interactions with (or near) nonhuman primates evaluated and approved on an individual basis by the IACUC. Likewise, any person having a positive TB test (other than with BCG vaccine as noted above) must have their entry into nonhuman primate colonies and interactions with (or near) nonhuman primates (or their tissues) evaluated and approved on an individual basis by the IACUC.

Existing policy for maintenance workers is that they must have an annual TB test.

1. A physical examination, including a health history evaluation, will be performed by an OHS physician or a person designated by a physician.
2. Tuberculin skin testing will be provided as described previously.
3. A history of tetanus immunization will be determined at the time of the initial physical examination. If necessary, tetanus immunization will be provided according to the current recommended schedule.
4. Rabies vaccination will be available and is recommended for individuals exposed to dogs and cats and certain other high risk animals (e.g., racoons).
5. Hepatitis B vaccination is available to all university employees.
6. The physician, along with ULAR or an academic department, will collaborate (if appropriate) to determine the need or advisability of other immunizations or tests.
7. Individuals with allergies or at risk or developing allergies (history of asthma, eczema, preexisting allergies) shall have that information recorded as part of the physical examination and medical history and provided with further instructions or testing, at the discretion of the physician.
8. The physician shall provide a written health approval, if appropriate, indicating that the individual may work with laboratory animals. Any restrictions shall be noted on the approval.

1. Any person having direct contact with nonhuman primates, their blood or other tissues, must have a TB test no less often than annually.
2. All persons approved by the IACUC to work with our near laboratory animals shall annually submit a Periodic Health Review form to the Office of Employee Health or a private physician. The physician shall provide a written assurance to the IACUC that the person may continue to work with laboratory animals, and list restrictions, if any. The physician shall determine if a physical examination or other diagnostic procedures are required.
3. The IACUC shall assure that this approval is present prior to a person's continuing participation on an IACUC approved protocol.
4. The IACUC shall be responsible for including information about the need for annual health approval along with the IACUC Periodic Report form used to renew IACUC protocols.

ULAR, as part of its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), requires that all work related injuries be immediately reported to the appropriate Supervisor of Animal Care. Details of actions to take are also included in the SOPs. Each Principal Investigator should establish appropriate written SOPs for injury or illness relating to the use of laboratory animals, their blood, or other tissues. The University Biosafety Committee's Animal Addendum form already requests some of this information.

The developing fetus is at greater risk for injury from biohazards. Women are encouraged to report pregnancy to their supervisor as soon as possible. Consideration should be given to reassign these persons to areas of less risk. In particular, a pregnant person should avoid nonhuman primates, cats, chemicals (especially carcinogens and teratogens) and all forms of radiation.

The University Biosafety Committee provides all Principal Investigators and other interested persons with a Biosafety Manual which denotes many additional items that can potentially be part of an Occupational Health and Safety program for persons using laboratory animals. All employees and other persons using laboratory animals are encouraged to obtain this manual through the Office of Research.