Occupational Health and Safety Program
Number: IACUC-POL-024
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
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all personnel who work with or may be exposed to research animals, animal tissues, or related hazards are appropriately protected through participation in the Occupational Health and Safety Program (OHS). This Program is designed to identify, evaluate, and control potential health and safety risks associated with the care and use of animals in research, teaching, and testing. To assure compliance with this requirement, it is the policy of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to provide procedural recommendations to the Institutional Official for a comprehensive, risk-based OHS Program to be offered to all students, employees, and visitors who work with or near laboratory or wild animals in the course of their association with the 91次元.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, contractors, visiting researchers and other visitors engaged in activities under the oversight of the IACUC. This includes individuals with direct or indirect contact with animals, animal tissues, body fluids, or contaminated equipment and materials.
3. Regulatory Basis
This policy fulfills the requirements outlined in:
- Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (8th Edition, National Research Council, 2011)
- Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Welfare Act and Regulations
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standards, 29 CFR 1910
- Occupational health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals (National research Council, 1997)
- Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), 6th Edition
- National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules
4. Program Oversight
The Occupational Health and Safety Program (OHS) is a collaborative effort among:
- The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
- The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
- Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)
- The Institutional Official (IO)
- Curry Health Center
- Occupational Health Team
Together, these entities ensure the Program effectively minimizes health and safety risks while maintaining compliance with applicable regulations and institutional standards.
5. Program Components
- Risk Assessment: Performed during IACUC review
- Evaluate hazards associated with specific animal species, agents, procedures, and exposure routes.
- Review facility design, work practices, and containment measures to ensure appropriate controls are in place.
- Medical Surveillance
- Enrollment in the OHS prior to beginning work with animals.
- Completion of an annual health questionnaire and medical review.
- Access to vaccinations (e.g., tetanus, rabies when applicable)
- Medical evaluation following exposures or injuries.
- Training and Education
- Completion of required institutional training on occupational health, zoonotic diseases, and safe animal handling.
- Annual didactic training for updates to Program and changes to procedures.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Use of PPE appropriate to the species, hazards, and procedures (e.g., gloves, gowns, eye protection, respirators).
- Proper donning, removal, and disposal of PPE to prevent contamination or cross-exposure.
- Hazard Control and Facility Safety
- Implementation of engineering and administrative controls to minimize exposure.
- Maintenance of appropriate ventilation, sanitation, and access control in animal facilities.
- Incident Reporting and Medical Response
- Procedures for reporting bites, scratches, allergic reactions, or exposure incidents to supervisors and OHS.
- Prompt medical evaluation and documentation of all occupational injuries or exposures.
- Review by OHS and the IACUC to identify root causes and corrective actions.
- Recordkeeping and Confidentiality
- Health and exposure records maintained confidentially by Occupational Health Medical Team.
- The IACUC documents OHP participation and form completion for all personnel listed on approved animal use protocols.
6. Responsibilities
The Office of the Vice President for Research administers the OHS Program. The Vice President for Research serves as the Institutional Official (IO) for the animal care and use Program and provides overall authority and oversight.
The IACUC works in collaboration with the IO and OHS Medical Team to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the OHS Program. The IACUC makes recommendations to the IO regarding occupational health and safety procedures and ensures that Program elements are appropriately implemented.
- Principal Investigators (PIs): Ensure that all research personnel under their supervision are enrolled in the OHS Program, follow required safety practices, and comply with all IACUC and IBC, EHS and institutional policies.
- Research Personnel: Participate in required medical surveillance, training, and incident reporting; follow all safety procedures and use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Occupational Health and Safety Medical Team: Administer the OHS Program, conduct risk assessments and facility inspections, provide biosafety and occupational health guidance, and maintain relevant documentation.
- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC): Verify OHS Program enrollment and participation during protocol review, ensure compliance through regular oversight and inspections, and recommend improvements to the IO as needed.
7. OHS Program and Procedures
A. Participation
- All students, employees, and visitors who work with or near laboratory or wild animals in the course of their association with The 91次元 are required to enroll in the OHS Program.
- The extent and level of participation of personnel in the OHS Program is based on risk assessment by a qualified OHS physician. Enrollment is highly recommended for animal care staff and individuals at higher risk due to a compromised immune system (including women who are pregnant, individuals on immunosuppressive drugs or those with immunosuppressive disease states).
- All new classified Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) personnel are required to have pre-employment medical surveillance evaluation followed by annual medical surveillance appointment with the OHS Medical team.
- Ancillary Personnel and Visitors:
Individuals who do not work directly with research and/or animals used in teaching, but may have exposure to animals or animal dander during their routine work (i.e. facilities staff, research staff in shared labs or other visitors) are provided information pertaining to animal allergens. Individuals with animal exposure are encouraged to enroll in the OHS Program. Access to animal facilities and procedure areas is limited to only essential personnel for both security/biosecurity reasons and to limit personnel exposure to animals. Animal transport should be consistent with LAR policies and procedures and done in a manner to minimize exposure during transit.
The entrance of each facility has posted the following information.- Hazard information
- OHS Program informational letters
- Link to Risk assessment form
- Sign-in sheet verifying availability of information
- Ancillary Personnel and Visitors:
B. Risk Assessment
- All Personnel:
- A is required before work on a project can begin and triennially there after.
- A is required if you have a change in your health status after you have completed an initial risk assessment and annually during the first two years there after.
- Project Specific Risk Assessments: IACUC AUPs involving the use of hazardous material (radiological, chemical, biological, etc.) are reviewed by the Biosafety Officer, OHS Team, EHS and Radiation Safety Committee (RSC), as applicable. Descriptions of safety procedures, personal protective equipment, and knowledge of zoonotic risks required in AUP. For biological hazards an IBC registration is required and a safety SOP is written and included. This SOP is available to both research and vivarium personnel. Cages and animal rooms doors must be properly labeled when hazards are present.
- Facility Risk Assessment: All vivarium (main campus and satellite) facilities evaluated annually by the OHS Medical Team and EHS.
C. Medical Surveillance
The Medical Surveillance form is required for all animal care staff upon initial hire and every three years thereafter. It may also be required at any time if recommended by the OHS nurse following a completed risk assessment or annual medical review.
D. Vaccine Recommendations:
Personnel working in research laboratories and/or ABSL-2 facilities with certain biological agents or performing research on wild caught animals are at increased risk of exposure to those agents due to the nature of their work. Vaccine recommendations are completed based on the agent, strain, exposure, transmission routes, procedural hazards and health risks to the individual and the community. Vaccinations are voluntary, but if a vaccine recommendation is made, individuals are required to complete the Acceptance/Declination/Request for Additional Information Form.
E. Respiratory Protection
The Respiratory Program provides respiratory protection to all UM principal investigators, instructors, faculty, staff and students (graduate and undergraduate) who are required by the IACUC or IBC or choose to wear respiratory protection during their work. The Program follows OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.134, ensuring strict compliance to protect individuals from hazardous airborne contaminants. Training, annual fit testing, and medical evaluations are coordinated by UM Environmental Health & Safety staff.
F. Training
The Animal Research and OHS Program provides information and training to individuals regarding the occupational health risks associated when working with or around animals. This training includes species specific information in the area of zoonotic diseases, allergens, animal bites, scratches, biological hazards, physical hazards, and precautions to be taken to address personal risk factors such as pregnancy, illness, or decreased immunocompetence. All individuals who have direct contact with research and/or animals used in teaching as part of UM activities should receive training for zoonotic diseases related to the species they will be working with. Individuals listed on an Animal Use Protocol (AUP) must complete training. This is required before animal related work begins and should be updated at least every three years. If there is a change in species exposure the training should occur prior to working with the new species. Visiting researchers may be exempt if they can provide evidence of enrollment in a similar Program at their home institutions.
8. Compliance
Completing a risk assessment and addressing all questions/requirements requested by the OHS team is mandatory for all for all individuals involved in animal care and use activities. Noncompliance may result in suspension of facility access or research privileges until Program requirements are met.
9. References
- National Research Council (2011). Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8th Edition. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
- Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations (9 CFR, Parts 1–3).
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Occupational Safety and Health Standards (29 CFR 1910).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) & National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2020). Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), 6th Edition.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH). Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (April 2019).
- Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW). Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Guidebook, 2nd Edition, 2002.
- Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals. National Research Council, 1997.
10. Review, Approval and Version History
|
Version |
Date |
Description of Changes |
Approved By |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1.0 |
September 7, 2005 |
Initial policy creation |
IACUC |
|
2.0 |
September 13, 2017 |
Review |
Heivilin |
|
3.0 |
October 22, 2025 |
Review and rewrite |
Hicks |