The Program

Enrollment in the University of Minnesota Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) is required for all persons who have contact with animals used for teaching or research. The specific program requirements are based on risk. This risk is determined by the species of animal used and the amount of contact with the animals.

You will be asked to review web-based training materials about the occupational health risks associated with your animal use. This will involve reviewing information on allergies, and specific zoonotic diseases associated with the species you are working with. This general information section will contain information on personal hygiene, the use of sharps, and physical injuries.

Boynton Health Service (BHS) will assist in the determination of medical requirements for the occupational health program. BHS will communicate with you through this program when a requirement is due and you will consult with a health care provider regarding the requirements. Protected personal health information will not be accessible to anyone other than authorized BHS staff.

Personal Hygiene

Good personal hygiene practices can greatly reduce the risk of occupational illness. Handwashing is probably the most effective and easiest method of reducing disease transmission. Hands should be washed after handling animals, their wastes, body fluids (including blood), tissue or any equipment or material that may have been in contact with animals. Hands should be washed before leaving the animal facility or laboratory and before eating, drinking, smoking or applying makeup.

Dedicated clothing should be worn when working with animals. This may include scrubs or simply a lab coat over street clothes. Dedicated clothing should not be taken home and should be laundered regularly. Clothing that has been contaminated with animal waste should be removed and cleaned immediately. When working with Biosafety Level 2 infectious agents or when working with non-human primates, additional personal protective clothing - including gown, mask, gloves, hair and shoe covers and eye protection - is required.

Eating, drinking and smoking are not allowed in the animal areas or the laboratories. The use of closed toed shoes in the animal areas or laboratories is also required. The use of masks and gloves when handling animals will help to reduce allergen exposure and is highly encouraged.

Sharps handling and disposal

The use of sharps, such as needles, scalpels and glass can present a risk to personnel if handled and disposed of improperly. In research settings, sharps may be contaminated with animal blood or body fluids, or with unknown substances. It is always safest to assume they are a potential hazard.

To prevent exposure of personnel to these agents and to prevent sharps and biohazards from showing up in the environment and/or being used by unauthorized personnel, proper disposal procudures must be followed. The standard guidelines are provided below. A video is available from EHS or from RAR's library (call 624-9100) demonstrating these guidelines.

Procedures

• Safety practices should be customized for a laboratory and written into the labs SOPs.
• The less you handle sharps, the less likely you are to have an accident.
• Use adequate restraint when working with an animal.
• Place your sharps in a carrying container prior to use, rather than carrying them in your hand or pocket.
• Do not recap or remove needles from syringes after use.
• Place all sharps immediately into a sharps container. (Bring one with you to the area you are working in. Yes, even to the dog's run).
• If you must recap a needle, use a one-handed technique. (Set the cap on the counter and slide the needle into it, or use a device for recapping the needle).
• If you must remove a needle use a mechanical device. (A forceps).
• Use an approved sharps container, and use it only for sharps (so you don't get in the habit of reaching in for your lunch). Seal it before it is completely full. (Rather than trying to stuff more in, get a new one when the old one is 3/4 full).
• If you do injure yourself with a sharp object, clean the wound immediately and seek medical attention.
• If you know what the hazard is indicate that to your care provider.
• If the sharp object was contaminated with body fluids from a nonhuman primate follow the instructions in the "Bite Kit" in the animal housing area, or contact RAR at 4-9100 for assistance.

Bites, scratches and other injuries

There is a risk of bites, scratches or other injuries when working with any animal species. Proper animal handling techniques can reduce the risk, but injury is always a possibility. Any bites scratches or other injuries that break the skin should be washed well with soap and water immediately. If the injury is deep or severe, go to Boynton Health Service or to Fairview-University Emergency after hours.

Animal bites can be contaminated by bacteria. Pasturella multocida is a bacteria that is common in the mouths of dogs and cats and other animals. Animal bites can also transmit other bacteria such as staph or strep and can also transmit viruses such as rabies, or B virus from monkeys. Animal bites can also transmit the tetanus bacteria, and it is important to be vaccinated for tetanus when working with animals.

Report any bites from dogs, cats or non-human primates to RAR so the animal can be observed or tested for rabies and/or B virus. If you have been bitten by a wild animal such as a skunk, raccoon or bat and have the animal available, it may need to be tested for rabies. Animals such as mice, rats and rabbits are not likely to carry rabies and do not need to be tested.