| Part
One: Policy Information (* view
entire document as pdf *)
Part Two: Species-Specific Information.
Occupational Health and Safety Information for Staff With
Substantial Contact With:
Part Three: LARC
Occupational Health and Safety Quick Guide
Introduction
The UCSF Occupational Health and Safety
Program is intended to provide guidelines for establishing
a high level of safety for all individuals who are involved
in the care and use of research animals. This Program incorporates
the requirements of:
- 8 CCR 3203 (Illness and Injury Prevention
Program);
the University of California's Systemwide Policy on Health,
Safety and Environmental Protection;
- Occupational Health and Safety in
the Care and Use of Research Animals (National Academy
Press, 1997) ;
- This document by reference.
University
of California Systemwide Policy Statement
The following is an excerpt from the
UC policy on health and safety:
"The University of California
is committed to maintaining a safe environment for its students,
academic appointees, staff, visitors, and members of the
general public. Further, it is dedicated to minimizing the
impact of its operations on the environment surrounding
its campuses and laboratory sites. The University has a
commitment to promote effective loss reduction and loss
prevention measures for the University's property and casualty
exposures. It is the policy of the University to conduct
its operations in conformance with applicable laws, regulations,
and relevant published standards and practices for health,
safety and environmental protection."
Program Overview
This Program provides guidance in all
areas of occupational health and safety and environmental
protection. It is organized by types of hazards and risks,
followed by the educational and preventive programs that
address those hazards and risks, and concluding with mechanisms
to maintain and improve the Program.
Responsibilities
- The UCSF Chancellor and Laboratory
Directors are responsible for ensuring the implementation
of the Policy on Health, Safety and Environmental Protection
at all facilities under their control;
- UCSF Vice Chancellors, and Deputy and
Associate Laboratory Directors are responsible for implementing
the Policy in all facilities within their respective jurisdictions;
- UCSF Deans, Directors, Department Heads,
Principal Investigators, and all other managers and supervisors
are responsible for compliance with this Policy as it
relates to operations under their control in carrying
out their day-to-day responsibilities;
- All UCSF employees, students, and other
campus members are responsible for adherence to this Policy
in carrying out their day-to-day responsibilities.
Hazard Categories
The general hazards associated with the
care and use of animals can be divided into five broad categories:
A) Bites
and Scratches
The potential for receiving a bite or
scratch is an ever-present hazard that faces all employees
working directly with laboratory animals and related equipment.
Employees should be properly trained in handling and general
restraint techniques of the species they are assigned to.
Additionally, all staff should be familiar with first aid
procedures specific to each species.
B) Allergens
One of the most common health concerns
in the laboratory animal setting is a work-associated allergy.
The risk of developing an allergy depends on parameters
such as species, facility, ventilation and the employee's
"base-line" health status.
The Committee on Occupational Safety and
Health in Research Animal Facilities lists four overlapping
Risk Groups:
- Normal: No evidence of allergic disease;
- Atopic: Pre-existing allergic disease;
- Asymptomatic: Antibodies to animal allergens;
- Symptomatic: Clinical symptoms on exposure
to allergenic animal proteins.
Symptoms of allergic reaction vary depending
on the severity of the reaction and include:
- Contact urticaria with symptoms
such as: redness, itchiness of skin, welts and hives;
- Allergic conjunctivitis with
symptoms such as: sneezing, itchiness, clear nasal drainage,
nasal congestion;
- Allergic rhinitis with symptoms
such as: sneezing, itchiness, clear nasal drainage, nasal
congestion;
- Asthma with symptoms such as:
cough, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath;
- Anaphylaxis with symptoms such
as: generalized itching, hives, throat tightness, eye
or lip swelling, difficulty in swallowing, hoarseness,
shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, nausea, vomiting,
abdominal cramps, diarrhea.
C) Protocol Related Hazards
Protocol-related hazards are defined as
those specifically associated with either routine operational
or experiment-specific protocols. Some general hazards also
associated with protocols, such as the risk of fire in the
use of bunsen burners or torches, or electrical hazards
in the use of experiment-specific equipment are not included
in the category of protocol-related hazards. Protocol-related
hazards are protocol-specific, for example: hazards
associated with the use of a specific viral vector carrying
a transgene for toxin production or with a piece of prototype
equipment to perform an experimental task.
Experimental studies can involve any number of hazards such
as the use of radioactive materials, infectious agents,
toxins or toxic chemicals, flammable substances, etc.
General Safety Precautions
- Successful abatement of protocol-related hazards requires
recognition and description of the hazards prior to the
start of the experiments. This is primarily the responsibility
of the campus technical safety committees, which are Biological
Safety Committee, Chemical Safety Committee and Radiation
Safety Committee.
The Radioactive and Biological Use Authorization
programs identify relevant hazards associated with submitted
protocols and work with the PI to abate these hazards by
ensuring proper facilities, equipment, training and awareness
to the staff involved in the study.
Note:
- If your work involves potential exposure
to any biological agents, chemicals, radioactive materials
or ionizing radiation, you must attend a training program
prior to your exposure to any such hazards.
Investigators using biological, chemical
or radioactive materials in animals must post a copy of
the Animal Involvement in the Laboratory Animal Resource
Center form on the door to the room housing their animals.
All Special Conditions relevant to safety will be shown
on the Animal Involvement form. This form must be approved
by the appropriate committee (i.e., Biological or Radiation
Safety).
There are some basic safety precautions
that apply to all work environments regardless of the types
of hazardous materials used. These include:
- Read and understand the protocol related
procedures before you start the experiment. If necessary
do a dry run;
- Avoid using sharps whenever possible;
substitute manually operated pipettes for needles and
syringes, and cannulae for needles;
- Do not recap needles; dispose of them
in appropriate sharp containers;
- Use safety needles and sharp devices.
- Until you have washed your hands, keep
them away from your mouth, nose and eyes;
- Do not eat, drink or store food in
research areas;
- Do not handle contact lenses in the laboratory;
Wearing of gloves, lab coat or scrubs is required. Other
personal protective equipment such as dust/mist masks
or approved respirator masks (e.g., Type N95 by 3M company)
are strongly recommended when working with animals;
- Please read and understand the special
safety requirements for each work area (e.g. sheep containment
facility) or animal species (e.g. non-human primates);
- Follow all safety precautions prescribed;
- Clean all spills immediately;
- Dispose of all waste materials into
the appropriate waste stream;
- Report all incidents or equipment malfunctions
to your supervisor immediately.
Additional information regarding various
protocol-related hazard abatement programs may be obtained
from www.ehs.ucsf.edu.
D) Zoonoses
Zoonotic diseases are those that can be
transmitted from animals to humans.
Although there are a variety of zoonotic
agents in addition to the Herpes B-virus that staff working
in this environment should be aware of, it is more likely
for a person to injure or contaminate themselves from an
experiment mishap in the lab than to contract a disease
from an animal.
For additional information please
visit www.larc.ucsf.edu
E) Inherent
Hazards
There are some potential hazards inherent
in any work environment. These include poor ergonomics,
slips and falls, electrical safety hazards, etc. UCSF has
developed a wide range of environmental health and safety
guidelines to address these potential hazards. Additional
information may be obtained from www.ehs.ucsf.edu.
F) General
Precautions
All employees and students working with
animals should be aware that laboratory animals may bite
or scratch. In addition, handling of cages, pens and other
equipment could cause cuts or scratches. Cuts, bites and
scratches could potentially expose the employees to viral,
bacterial, parasitic or allergic agents, which are transmissible
from animals to humans.
Although the risk of bites and scratches
is species dependent, there are a few simple guidelines,
which, if followed will significantly reduce the potential
risks of such incidents. These include:
- Always wear appropriate personal protective
equipment, especially hand and face/eye protection;
- If moving large contaminated items
(e.g. non-human primate cages), wear heavy gloves;
- When available and appropriate, use
mechanical restrainers when performing procedures on unanesthesized
animals;
- All bites and scratches that result
in bleeding should be immediately and thoroughly scrubbed
and cleansed with soap and running water for at least
15 minutes;
- Do not discard or disinfect any object
which caused the injury; hold for analysis;
- Notify supervisor and seek medical
attention immediately.
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