Occupational Health and Safety Program for Laboratory and Wildlife Animal Research
The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) program is a required component of the university's Program for Animal Care and Use, as is the IACUC. The primary function of OHS is to protect 老虎机攻略 animal users, and others having contact with animals used for research or scholarship, by evaluating and mitigating potential risks to health and safety in
- campus animal facilities
- labs
- classrooms
- campus property containing wildlife environments
- off-campus natural areas and wildlife environments
- other off-campus locations used in research involving animals.
The 老虎机攻略’s Program for Animal Care and Use, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and Occupational Health and Safety Program operate under an Assurance from the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW). All activities involving the care and use of animals for research and scholarship follow requirements of , standards set forth in the and the National Research Council report, Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
Program Requirements
Laboratory and Wildlife Animal Research
Occupational health and safety oversight is required for individuals who:
- Handle or work with live animals,
- Handle unfixed animal tissues or body fluids, including animal waste,
- Are listed on an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocol,
- Access to the Laboratory Animal Facility or the Field Research Station at Fort Missoula.
- Handling and performing research on animals in the field (wildlife studies).
Individuals listed on observational studies DO NOT need to complete a Risk Assessment or Annual Medical Review unless requested by the Principal Investigator listed on the protocol.
Be advised that some persons are at increased risk from animal-associated disease:
- Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
- Immune compromised persons
- Individuals with known animal allergies
Contact the Occupational Health Nurse or IACUC Office for more information.
Risks Specific to Wildlife Field Studies
IACUC protocols must outline potential zoonotic diseases, physical hazards, allergens and precautions necessary for staff to minimize the risks.
- Describe the relevant safety and containment procedures that will be used to mitigate project risks and protect personnel. Consider the effect of non-target animals, the necessary safety equipment, work practices, and PPE that will be required for various tasks (e.g. capturing animals, animal inoculation).
- Discuss the specific hazards/risks that you may encounter in the field associated with this experiment (e.g. potential exposure risks such as needlesticks, animal/insect bites, parasites, exotic/poisonous plants, or venomous animals).
Resources
OHS personnel requirements for working with animals
Risk Assessment |
Annual Medical Review |
Medical Surveillance |
Recommended Vaccine and Vaccine Form |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Faculty, staff, and students working with animals and/or in animal facilities |
Required | Required | Required if requested by OHS Nurse | Required if requested by OHS Nurse |
|
University staff needing occasional access to animal facilities but not working with animals |
Required | Required | Determined by Risk | Determined by Risk |
|
Frequency of Completion |
At the start of work and triennially thereafter | Annually or when a change in medical status occurs | When requested by OHS Nurse | At the start of work, if work exposure changes or if requested by OHS nurse |
Animal Specific Training Requirements and Instructions
Risk Assessment Form
The will help evaluate the possible health risks due to animal exposures and occupational hazards. A Risk Assessment Form is required before work on a project can begin and triennially there after.
Annual Medical Review
The helps identify additional risks of an individual basis. For example, participants who are immunocompromised or are pregnant may have additional exposure risks. The questionnaire is confidentially reviewed by the Occupational Health Nurse. Annual Medical reviews are 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.
Medical Surveillance Form
The Medical Surveillance form is required for all animal care staff and if required/requested by OHS nurse following review of a complete risk assessment or annual medical review.
Recommended Vaccine(s) and Vaccine Acceptance Declination Form
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 done 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.
Persons who have not completed these requirements will not be allowed to use, care, or perform research involving animals.
Contact Information
Linda Hicks
IACUC Manager/Biosafety Officer
406-243-6395
IACUC@mso.umt.edu
Dionne Peterson, RN
Occupational Health Nurse
406-243-2122
dionne.peterson@mso.umt.edu
Date Adopted: September 7, 2005
Last Review Date: December 27, 2024
Occupational Health and Safety Program Policy
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The requires that "an occupational health program must be part of the overall animal care and use program." The goal of the occupational health and safety (OH&S) program is to prevent occupational injury and illness by avoiding, controlling, or eliminating hazards in the workplace as well as to provide for early diagnosis and treatment when necessary.
To assure compliance with this requirement, it is the policy of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee to provide procedural recommendations to the Institutional Official for a comprehensive, risk-based OH&S 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 老虎机攻略.
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1. The institution is responsible for providing an occupational health and safety program (OH&S) for the animal care and use program.
2. The OH&S program is administered by the Office of the Vice-President for Research.
3. The Vice-President for Research serves as the Institutional Official for the animal care and use program.
4. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) makes recommendations to the IO concerning the procedures involved in the OH&S program.
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1. All students, employees, and visitors who work with or near laboratory or wild animals in the course of their association with the 老虎机攻略 are offered the opportunity to participate.
2. The extent and level of participation of personnel in the OH&S program is based on risk assessment by a qualified OH&S physician.
3. All new classified Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) personnel are required to have pre-employment medical surveillance evaluation.
4. Participant capture and training
a. Visitors
1) Right-to-know hazard information posted in the animal facility
2) LAR main entrances
a) OH&S informational letters
b) Risk assessment forms/postage-paid envelopes
c) Sign-in sheet verifying availability of information
d) Declination to participate in OH&S program
b. Employees and animal users
1) All information available to visitors as listed above and additional items listed below
2) Annual training by IACUC and LAR - includes reminders of updating risk assessment with changes in medical conditions or animal exposure intensity
a) LAR facility users and principal investigators (PI)
b) Wildlife researchers
c) Maintenance personnel
d) Security personnel
3) Identification through experimental hazards assessment
a) Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
b) Radiation Safety Committee (RSC)
c) Animal Use Protocol (AUP) evaluated by IACUC
c. Annual policy reminder to department chairs and PIs with active AUPs
1) IACUC Coordinator distributes OH&S policy and instructions for risk assessment
2) Encourages PI identification of visiting scientists, new students, research personnel
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1. AUPs - assess experimental hazards
a. Approval number required, when applicable, from
1) Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
2) Radiation Safety Committee (RSC)
b. Descriptions of safety procedures, personal protective equipment, and knowledge of zoonotic risks required in AUP
2. Work Environment (non-experimental hazards) - LAR facilities evaluated annually by on-site visits by
a. Occupational Health Physician
b. Environmental Health & Risk Management (EH&RM) Office
3. Personnel - medical history and animal exposure intensity evaluated by OH&S physician
a. Risk assessment questionnaire initially and when any changes in medical conditions or animal exposure intensity occur
b. Medical surveillance questionnaire annually for personnel assessed as high risk by the OH&S physician
4. Risk assessment or medical surveillance required for Griz (proximity) card access to LAR facilities and before beginning wildlife field work
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1. Contracted by the 老虎机攻略
2. Primary responsibilities (see flow chart, page 1)
a. Reviews individual medical questionnaires
1) Risk assessment
2) Medical surveillance
b. Provides physical examinations, consultations, and post-exposure counseling on a case-by-case basis
c. Conducts an annual hazard assessment of LAR facilities
d. Assesses hazards of novel projects at the request of the IACUC
e. Provides feedback to IACUC of identified trends in occupation-related diseases of participants and recommends preventive intervention
3. Communication (see flow chart)
a. Informs IACUC Coordinator and participant electronically
1) Risk assessment - no medical surveillance necessary
2) Risk assessment - medical surveillance warranted, individual
cleared for animal work without restrictions
b. Informs IACUC Coordinator and participant by letter
1) Medical surveillance - further evaluation by OH&S physician - cleared with restrictions
2) Medical surveillance - further evaluation by OH&S physician - serious health problem or direct threat to himself/herself or others
4. Recordkeeping by OH&S Physician Office
a. Maintains confidential medical information according to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
b. Personal medical information is not shared with the 老虎机攻略
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1. Communication (see flow chart)
a. Sends annual reminders to current medical surveillance participants
b. Sends annual policy reminders, participation opportunity, and risk assessment forms to
1) All PIs with current AUPs
c. Provides information for participants needing respirators
1) Contact information for EH&RM
2) Required paperwork completed for
a) Medical surveillance
b) Respirator questionnaire
c) Verification of OH&S physician clearance for fit-test
2. Recordkeeping -- maintain:
a. List of PIs and animal users from AUPs who require OH&S training and risk assessment
b. Records of IACUC notifications from OH&S physician of cleared personnel
d. Records of reminders distributed and dates sent