Appendix L: Working Safely with Animals

Working with animals poses potential additional health and safety hazards that require extra precautions. The specific requirements will depend on the types of activities (e.g., surgery, feeding animals, use of anesthetic agents, etc.) and the specific species used.

Personnel Guidelines

Personnel should follow the following guidelines:

• Follow the specific requirements established in the IACUC-approved protocol and the facility requirements.
• Follow procedures established by the Animal Science Center and IACUC for ABSL2 as appropriate.
• Wash hands after handling an animal, anything that an animal has touched, or before exiting the animal facility. The most common way of contracting an animal-transmitted infection is placing the infectious material directly into the mouth.
• Never smoke, drink, or eat in an animal area or before washing hands.
• Wear protective clothing as recommended/required by the facility for the species and operations: Protective laboratory coats, gowns, or uniforms are recommended to prevent contamination of personal clothing; Protective clothing helps prevent potentially contaminated material from leaving an animal area; and do not wear the protective clothing outside of the animal area and do not take protective clothing home;
• Use the personal protective equipment (PPE) recommended/required for the species and operations.
• Workers shall wear the appropriate PPE (e.g., gloves, face shields, masks, and respirators) when required and follow their supervisor’s instructions scrupulously.
• Gloves are worn to prevent skin contact with contaminated, infectious and hazardous materials, and when handling animals.
• Gloves and personal protective equipment should be removed in a manner that minimizes transfer of infectious materials outside of the areas where infectious materials and/or animals are housed or are manipulated.
• Persons must wash their hands after removing gloves, and before leaving the areas where infectious materials and/or animals are housed or are manipulated.
• Eye and face and respiratory protection should be used in rooms containing infected animals, as dictated by the risk assessment.
• Participate in the ROHP medical surveillance program (See Appendix P) that provides medical evaluations, testing, immunizations, and periodic screenings for allergies, infections, and other medical problems related to animal exposure.
• Seek medical attention promptly when injured. Follow the specific recommendations for the facility.
• Workers engaged in work involving vertebrate animals should inform their physician of their work when seeking treatment for illness, even if uncertain whether the illness is work related. All animal care workers are provided wallet-sized agent identification cards. The card indicates the card carrier works in a laboratory setting at Boston University and may be exposed to hazardous materials. The card also contains ROHP contact information in the event the physician should choose to seek further information on potential occupational exposure. Physicians need such information to make an accurate diagnosis because many animal-transmitted diseases have flu-like symptoms.
• If there is any possibility of work-related illness or disease, the ROHP must be notified immediately at (617) 414-ROHP (7647).
• Get the appropriate training and contact a supervisor with any questions.

Basic Safety for the Necropsy of Infected Animals

• Ensure that the necropsy of infected animals is carried out in biological safety cabinets or designated necropsy space by trained personnel.
• Wear a surgeon’s wrap-around gowns over laboratory clothing.
• Use a surgeon’s mask and eye protection.
• Use other PPE recommended by the facility for the infectious agents present.
• Wear gloves.
• Wet the fur of the animal with a suitable disinfectant.
• Pin down or otherwise fasten small animals to metal in a tray.
• Before and after necropsy, disinfect the necropsy table, inside the BSC, and other potentially contaminated surfaces with a suitable germicide.
• Upon completion of necropsy, place all potential biohazardous materials in suitable containers and then sterilize the materials.
• Segregate contaminated mixed waste and store for appropriate disposal.
• Place contaminated instruments in a bath that contains a suitable disinfectant.
• Follow the facility requirements for sterilization.
• Clean contaminated rubber gloves in disinfectant before removal from the hands.
• Wearing gloves is not a substitute for handwashing; wash hands after necropsy and carcass disposal.
• Follow the facility’s guidelines for the disposal of animal carcasses.