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Animal Biosafety Level 2 (ABSL-2) Facility

Number: IACUC-POL-021 

Responsible Office: Office of Research and Creative Scholarship (ORCS) 

Applies to: Principal Investigators Conducting Animal Research or All animal research and teaching protocols involving live vertebrate animals  

1. Purpose 

This policy establishes the requirements and expectations for the safe conduct of animal research involving Risk Group 1 (RG1) and Risk Group 2 (RG2) biological agents, toxins, recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids, or other materials requiring Animal Biosafety Level 2 (ABSL-2) containment. The goal is to protect personnel, animals, and the environment while ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and institutional biosafety and animal welfare regulations. 

2. Scope 

This policy applies to all individuals — including faculty, staff, students, private companies, and visiting researchers — who conduct or support animal research within designated ABSL-2 animal facilities under IACUC oversight. 

Program Oversight 

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), in collaboration with Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), is responsible for ensuring that all ABSL-2 activities are conducted in compliance with applicable standards and that appropriate safety measures are implemented. 

Oversight includes: 

• Review and approval of all animal use protocols involving ABSL-2 materials prior to initiation. 
• Verification of investigator training and OHSP (Occupational Health and Safety Program) enrollment. 
• Coordination with EHS, OHS and the IBC for risk assessments and facility inspections. 
• Annual or triennial review of ABSL-2 protocols to ensure continued compliance.  

3. Facility and Containment Requirements 

All ABSL-2 facilities must meet the structural and operational standards outlined in the BMBL, including: 

• Controlled Access: Entry limited to authorized, trained personnel.
• Signage: Biohazard and agent information posted at all entrances. 
• Handwashing and Hygiene: Sinks and disinfectants available near exits; handwashing required before leaving the facility. 
• PPE: Laboratory coats/gowns, gloves, respiratory and face or eye protection must be worn as appropriate. 
• Engineering Controls: Certified Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs) used for all procedures with potential aerosol or splash hazards. 
• Ventilation: Directional airflow maintained (negative to surrounding areas). 
• Decontamination: Routine disinfection of work surfaces and equipment; autoclaving or approved treatment of all waste and bedding. 
• Animal Caging: Use of microisolator or disposable cage systems as appropriate for containment. Animals will be transferred into a new box setup at the time of inoculation. 

4. Responsibilities 

Principal Investigators (PIs)

• An approved IBC and IACUC protocol describing the pathogens and the manner in which they will be used must be in place before work can begin. Personnel working with biohazards must also be added to the IBC protocol, for appropriate biosafety training to be assigned. 

• Principal Investigators working with biohazards and/or chemicals will be required to fill out an Animal Study Notification form and complete an ABSL-2 SOP prior to using those hazards.  
  • The Animal Hazardous Use forms include information for LAR staff on PPE requirements, bedding disposal, etc.  
  • Forms will be placed into the ABSL-2 housing room prior to the animals being exposed to the pathogen(s) are housed there. 

• For each study, the PI, research representative or lead scientist will meet once with LAR to review the project’s goals, aims, and procedures. 
  • Any questions, concerns, or requests raised by the BSO, AV, LAR Manager, or LAR staff must be resolved before the study begins. 

• Maintain and enforce safe work practices, PPE use, and waste management procedures. 
• Immediately report incidents, exposures, or animal bites/scratches to the BSO, the IACUC, and Attending Veterinarian (AV). 

Research Personnel

• Persons working in ABSL-2 areas must complete the following training: 
  • CITI Animal Biosafety Training, annually 
  • Persons working with human tissues/blood or human derived cell lines must complete OSHA blood-borne pathogens training, annually. 
  • In person animal training must be completed with the AV, BSO or LAR Manager prior to using animals within the ABSL-2 space.  
  • Didactic training, annually 

Animal Care Staff

• Maintain high standards of animal husbandry and health monitoring. 
• Follow ABSL-2 LAR SOP and Procedures. 
• Use appropriate PPE and handling techniques for all animals and materials. 
• Report any health or behavioral concerns in animals to veterinary staff. 

Biosafety Officer (BSO)

• Conduct facility risk assessments and periodic inspections to verify containment compliance. 
• Provide training and guidance on biosafety procedures, disinfection, and exposure response. 
• Support spill response, exposure investigation, and decontamination verification. 

IACUC

• Ensure that all ABSL-2 research activities are reviewed and approved prior to initiation. 
• Confirm OHSP participation and biosafety compliance for all listed personnel. 
• Conduct annual facility inspections in coordination with OHS and EHS. 

5. Decontamination and Waste Management 

• All work surfaces must be decontaminated after use and after any spill or contamination event.
• Animal carcasses, bedding, and waste must be treated as biohazardous and disposed of through approved autoclaving, incineration or chemical processes. 
• Biological Safety Cabinets must be certified annually and decontaminated prior to service, relocation, or disposal using approved procedures (e.g., vaporized hydrogen peroxide). 

6. Laboratory Animal Resources  

• All standard LAR housing/husbandry practices to enter or exit rodent holding or procedural rooms apply including but not necessarily limited to:
  • PPE practices, sharps handling, proper (BSC) use, 
  • appropriate waste disposal etc. 
  • All animal work involving hazardous agents must take place in appropriate designated areas. 
    
    Some biological materials that require the use of Biosafety Level 2 practices in the laboratory and when inoculating animals, may be approved for housing at ABSL-1 after inoculations. This is dependent upon the biological material that you are injecting. Biosafety level will be set by the IBC.  
    
    For example, animals may be housed at ABSL-1 after injection using BSL-2 practices with the following:  
    
    
    • human cells 
    • adeno-associated viral vectors 

7. Compliance  

Noncompliance with ABSL-2 safety or IACUC requirements may result in suspension of research activities, withdrawal of facility access, or disciplinary action as determined by institutional leadership. Continued approval of ABSL-2 protocols is contingent on demonstrated compliance with this policy.  

8. References 

1. National Research Council (2011). Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8th Edition. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. 
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2020). Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), 6th Edition. 
3. Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. 
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal Welfare Act and Regulations (9 CFR, Parts 1–3). 
5. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (April 2019). 
6. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Occupational Safety and Health Standards, 29 CFR 1910. 
7. Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW). Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Guidebook, 2nd Edition, 2002. 

9. Review, Approval and Version History 

Review and approval version history for this policy

Version	Date	Description of Changes	Approved By
1.0	November 4, 2025	Initial policy creation and approval	IACUC Committee