Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Nonhuman Primates (2003) / Chapter Skim
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7. Risk Management: The Principles Underlying the Design and Implementation of an Occupational Health and Safety Plan
7. Risk Management: The Principles Underlying the Design and Implementation of an Occupational Health and Safety Plan
Pages 94-119
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From page 94... ...
, and in still others on adoption of new safety-related devices, protective equipment, or research methods. Training programs must be adjusted in concert with these changes to ensure their effectiveness.
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From page 95... ...
Housing of nonhuman primates in a conventional research vivarium may require facility modifications and renovations. In some cases, depending on the species in question, it may be possible to address occupational health and safety concerns by use of appropriate personal protective equipment and modifications to existing standard operating procedures (SOPS)
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From page 96... ...
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES The complexity of using nonhuman primates in research requires a seamless integration of several institutional positions and programs, including the institutional official, the IACUC, the vivarium management team, the environmental health and safety program, the occupational health and safety program, and the investigator. The close phylogenetic relationship of human and nonhuman primates and the infectious agents endemic in many primate populations require that access to nonhumanprimate colonies be restricted in order to protect both human and animal health.
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From page 97... ...
The facility design issues for nonhuman-primate vivariums are, in general, similar to those for more generic facilities, although some aspects require increased attention when larger nonhuman primates are housed. Security is paramount.
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From page 98... ...
Exposure control is developed in a hierarchic structure to ensure worker safety: engineering controls, work practices, and personal protective equipment. Each element is an important part of the safety plan.
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From page 99... ...
Table 7-3 provides a checklist for engineering controls. Work Practices Optimizing work practices for employee safety is a matter of providing the engineering controls described above and integrating them with employee training and facility SOPs.
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From page 100... ...
The minimal personal protective equipment for working with nonhuman primates should be dedicated clothing, gloves, and mask. Workers must be trained in the proper use of these and other personal protective equipment.
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From page 101... ...
In the NRC report Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals (NRC 1997) , it is recommended that "personnel who work with nonhuman primates should wear face shields and other protective garments and equipment appropriate for the circumstances and species involved." Following a fatal human case of B virus encephalitis caused by an ocular exposure to body fluid from a rhesus macaque, the NIOSH and the CDC issued recommendations that protective eyewear should be mandatory for individuals working with macaques (CDC 1998; NIOSH 1999~.
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From page 102... ...
Excessive personal protective equipment can present ergonomic hazards and hazards associated with heat stress in work environments that are not temperature-controlled. All workers must be trained in the use of PPE.
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From page 103... ...
The preplacement medical evaluation may also serve as an opportunity to educate the employee about potential hazards of working with nonhuman primates (NRC 1997~. Such evaluations also establish a link for the employee with the appropriate occupational health professional.
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From page 104... ...
Work-related injuries/illnesses that lead to medical evaluation and loss of work time should be reported to the occupational health information system (BLS 1986; NRC 1997~. Another important component of the occupational health care system is the immunization program.
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From page 105... ...
The principle function of employee tuberculosis screening is to protect the nonhuman-primate colony and this should be a prime consideration in determining the frequency of periodic PPD skin testing for employees. Additional considerations should include factors such as the likelihood of tuberculosis infection among the facility nonhuman-primate population, immune status of nonhuman primates being handled, nature of staff contact with nonhuman primates, experimental protocols being employed, and past experience with tuberculosis in the nonhuman-primate facility.
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From page 106... ...
Biosafety cabinets and fume hoods are typically subject to regular maintenance and recertification. Personnel should be trained so they can interpret abnormal readings of pressure gauges and other indicators used in containment facilities.
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From page 107... ...
The institutional injury database should include data that allow matching of risks to job classifications. By including data on both injury rates and populations at risk, occupational health and safety program professionals are able to determine the efficacy of their programs.
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From page 108... ...
At a minimum, the IACUC and occupational health professionals should review the OHS plan as part of their semiannual reviews. Review of injury and illness logs should be a routine responsibility of the occupational health and safety program officer or a designee of the institutional official (for example, the director of the animal program)
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From page 109... ...
Integration of safety issues dealing with nonhuman-primate biology in Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee protocol and program review. Institutional or consultant expertise regarding hazards associated with nonhuman primates.
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From page 110... ...
For example, if there are ABSL-3 animal studies, are the clinical laboratories equipped for ABSL-3 samples? Sinks readily accessible in vivarium for hand washing, readily accessible locations for PPE and readily accessible eyewash stations and emergency and bite-scratch kits.
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From page 111... ...
RISK MANAGEMENT TABLE 7-3 Checklist for Engineering Controls 111 Program Elements Properly certified biosafety cabinets must be available for tissue processing and procedures that may create aerosols. Routine maintenance schedule for ventilation system.
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From page 112... ...
Proper receptacles used for disposal of sharps. SOPs in place for appropriate personal protective equipment for specific tasks.
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From page 113... ...
Selection of specific personal protective equipment should be made in keeping with the nonhuman-primate species involved and known zoonotic infectious agents carried by that species. SOPs for personal protective equipment should include specific considerations for hazards present in the work environment.
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From page 114... ...
All employees or visitors (including students) who enter nonhumanprimate areas, or handle nonhuman primates or their tissues must be informed of all infectious and environmental hazards, whether experimentally introduced or generally associated with the nonhuman primates housed in the facility.
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From page 115... ...
Occupational health staff should be familiar with facility design, routine procedures, and infectious and chemical agents in use at the facility. Medical personnel providing occupational health support must be trained and knowledgeable regarding the risk and response necessary to deal with B virus exposure.
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From page 116... ...
Animal restraint equipment should be easy to operate and on periodic maintenance schedules to reduce ergonomic hazards and employee .
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From page 117... ...
There should be an injury / illness log that is reviewed on a periodic basis to provide feedback on efficacy of the overall safety program. Efficacy of employee training programs should be assessed by formal mechanisms of testing and safety audits conducted by the safety officer.
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From page 118... ...
Bite-scratch and emergency kits, if retained by an institution, should be properly and conveniently placed in all areas where nonhuman primates or their associated equipment are encountered. These kits should be inspected on a regular basis to ensure the contents are not beyond the expiration dates.
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From page 119... ...
Program deficiencies that affect employee safety should be addressed in a timely manner by the institutional official. Facilities that are part of larger institutions should be subject to safety audits by host institutional safety programs.
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