IACUC Policy III - Personal Protective Clothing for Work with Laboratory Animals

Applicability:

1. This policy applies to all laboratory animals housed on University campuses and to agricultural animals housed and/or used within laboratory animal facilities. The policy does not apply to agricultural animals housed on University farms.
2. or the purpose of this policy, a laboratory animal is defined as any vertebrate animal used in biomedical research. The term "laboratory animal" will not apply to agricultural animals housed on University farms and used in food and fiber research.

Purpose:

1. The purpose of this policy is to identify a minimum standard of attire for personnel who are handling animals in animal rooms, procedure rooms, investigator laboratories, and teaching laboratories.
2. The attire should provide a minimum level of protection for animal workers and their clothing from contamination with animal materials such as excretions, dander and body fluids.
3. Attire should also minimize the exposure of animals to contaminants carried on the clothing and footwear of personnel working with the animals.
4. Certain animal facilities and animal rooms have very strict entry requirements for either Biosafety or biosecurity purposes. Entry requirements to these areas supersede the requirements described below and should be clearly posted at entry points.

Policy:

Animal Rooms:

1. Animal handling requirements:
   • a. Dedicated outer wear (lab coat or disposable gown)
   • b. Gloves, if handling animals or animal samples
2. Attire should be donned upon entry to the animal room and removed before leaving the facility or before entering another animal room.

Procedure Rooms:

1. Required attire for handling animals or animal samples:
   • a. Dedicated outerwear (lab coat or disposable gown)
   • b. Gloves

Investigator Laboratories:

1. Required attire for handling animals:
   • a. Dedicated outerwear (lab coat or disposable gown)
   • b. Gloves

Teaching Laboratories:

1. Required attire for handling animals or animal samples:
   • a. Dedicated outerwear (lab coat or disposable gown)
   • b. Gloves
2. This policy applies to both live and dead as well as preserved and unpreserved animals.

Personnel Hygiene: All personnel should wash their hands after handling animals.