Contacts:

Risks Associated With the Use, Care and Handling of Live Vertebrate Animals:

Every individual who will conduct procedures as well as daily care and maintenance involving animals must be enrolled by their supervisor, PI, or Lab Manager in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Program BioRAFT and complete OHS Training in BioRAFT. Animal Research Protocols will not be approved without enrollment and completion of all training requirements as described in the Training section of this website.

• Occupational Health and Safety Manual (OHS Core Training)

• Occupational Health and Safety Program Enrollment

  • Your supervisor will enroll you into the OHS System. For questions contact RMS (dwt0007@auburn.edu)

Every person working with animals should be aware of the potential dangers associated with animal contact. These include but are not limited to: animal bites, scratches, and kicks; allergens; pathogenic organisms; and parasites. If you have health/safety concerns, you are urged to talk to your supervisor immediately or contact the OHS Specialist listed above or the Office of Research Compliance for advice and assistance. 

The following links will assist you in assessing the risks associated with your activities and minimizing or preventing injury or illness as a result of those activities.

OHSP Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)- Guidance for the Use of Hazardous Agents:

• AP-101 MS222

• AP-102-5 Managing Animals Dosed with Hazardous Drugs-Chemicals

• AP-103-3 Use of Bromodeoxyuridine in Poultry

• AP-106-1 Use of Azoxymethane in Laboratories

• AP-104-1 Care of Mice and Rats Dosed with Streptozotocin

• AP-113-0 Use of Bromodeoxyuridine at the Swine Research Extension Center

• AP-115-0 Use of Bromodeoxyuridine in Mice Housed in Disposable Caging

• AP-118-1 BSL1 & BSL2 Management at Miller Poultry REC

• AP-119 BSL1 & BSL2 Management at Miller Poultry REC Animal Health Research Building

OHSP Resources:

• Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Animals in Research (1997)

• Zoonoses of Occupational Health Importance in Contemporary Laboratory Animal Research, Hankenston, et al., Comparative Medicine 53(6):579-601, December, 2003.

Specific Health Issues Associated With Animal Care and Use:

• Allergy from Animal Contact

• Bats - Rabies

• Cattle, Sheep and Goats - Q Fever

• Cats - Toxoplasmosis

• Birds - Psittacosis Facts

• Birds - Psittacosis - Compendium of Measures to Control Chlamydophila psittaci (formerly Chlamydia psittaci) infection among humans (psittacosis) and pet birds, 2005, Smith, et al., Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 226(4):532-539, February 15, 2005.

• Lifting Techniques

Reporting Incidents, Injuries, and/or Hazardous Exposure

• Any occupational injury, hazardous exposure, or other safety incident should be reported in accordance with the policies and procedures of the RMS. RMS provides the following Guidelines for Reporting an On the Job Injury.

  
On-the-Job Injury (OJI) Program/Reporting:
Administration of the OJI Program is contracted with an outside agency who assigns a claim manager to handle routine administration of claims. RMS maintains oversight of the outside agency. Claim management will include working with the injured employee, medical providers, and University representatives to seek appropriate medical treatment for the injured/ill employee, and assist in returning the injured/ill employee to work.

>>Report On-the-Job-Injury claims at https://cws.auburn.edu/rms/pm/claims