General Training Course

Occupational Health

1. Welcome to the Occupational Health Program. We will touch on each of these areas.
   1. Occupational Health Program
   2. Personal Hygiene
   3. Physical Hazards
   4. Chemical Hazards
   5. Zoonotic Diseases
2. Occupational Health Program
   1. Animal contact – If you have animal contact, you should enroll
   2. Emergency numbers
      1. Fire ‑ 114
      2. General emergency ‑
      3. Ambulance ‑
      4. Risk Management –
      5. University Veterinarian ‑
      6. Poison Center ‑
      7. Report all injuries to Environmental Health and Safety
         1. Form – Employee’s Work Injury and Illness Report
3. Personal Hygiene
   1. No eating, drinking, applying makeup, or smoking when animals are present or in an animal facility
      1. This item is a quote out of the regulations.
      2. Special point--animals in your lab, this applies.
      3. Whether animals are present in an animal facility or not, this applies.
   2. Wear clean lab coat minimum in the animal facility or handling animals
      1. Do not wear coat to other areas such as hospital, cafeteria, etc
         1. Allergies are very common from rodents.  By wearing your coat to other areas, including in the elevator, could easily have a reaction
   3. Wear clean gloves minimum when handling animals
      1. Some special cases require sterile gloves
   4. Wash hands after handling animals or equipment
   5. Wear shoe covers when entering an animal room (set of cubicles)
   6. Certain special areas may require more protection (for you or the animals).  Always read all signs and follow their instructions
4. Physical and Chemical Hazards
   1. Be Careful at all time in animal facility!
      1. Be aware of physical hazards
         1. Electrical
         2. Wet, slippery floors
         3. Lifting, reaching, and bending
         4. Noise
         5. Sharp edges
      2. Be aware of chemical hazards
         1. All chemicals designed to kill cells, [ALL CELLS]
            1. All chemicals used in an animal facility are designed to kill cells. They do not care whether they are bacterial cells or corneal cells
         2. Animal bites
            1. All animals bite.
            2. That is their natural method of informing you they are not pleased with what you are doing to them.
            3. Learn how to handle them humanely and cautiously.
            4. Anyone seen letting an animal bite them and then slinging the animal against the wall will be shot, inhumanely!!!  It is your fault, not the animal’s.
            5. If you do get bitten, wash the bite wound in running water for 15 and use iodine soap if available.  Then go to the emergency room.  Fill out the proper reports.
5. Zoonotic Diseases
   1. There are hundreds of diseases that spread from people to animals and visa versa.
   2. Of these diseases, normally none exist in the animals that you will use.
      1. All animals are to be purchased through Veterinary Services and we make sure they do not.
      2. If there was an occasion to have a disease in the facility for some very special reason, all precautions would be taken to prevent its spread including limiting access, putting up signs to notify everyone, etc.
      3. Sometimes we get animals of unknown background such as farm animals but we will make every attempt to ensure they are health before they come into the facility.
   3. Diseases that sometimes come in are fungal and Pasturella. 
      1. Fungal is generally referred to as ring worm because of the circular hair lost lesions it forms.  It is spread generally by the hair of the animal.
      2. Pasturella is generally airborne or contact.  Signs include runny nose and “sick” animals.  i.e. Snuffles in rabbits
6. Allergies
   1. Allergies are not diseases but the bodies response to an allergen which can be the hair of a rodent or other animal.
   2. Allergies of animals can be reddening of the skin, itching sensation or from mild to severe headaches, running eyes and nose or all of the above.
   3. Anyone who has allergies of any kind, will get allergies to rodents within two years.
   4. Prevention
      1. Stay away
      2. If can’t stay away, organize yourself to stay away as much as possible.
      3. Wear clean lab coat with long sleeves, gloves and face mask.
   5. While you may not be affected by allergies now, many other people are so be careful.  Always transport the animals covered and warn people who get on the elevator with you that you have animals.
7. In summary, BE  CAREFUL
8. Enroll in the Occupational Health Program and read the handout that is available in Veterinary Services.

You have now completed the Occupational Health portion of General Training

Now you need to go to Husbandry next