To ensure that all members of the U-M animal care and use community have the tools and resources necessary to comply with best practice standards in animal care and laboratory safety, the Animals Administered a Hazardous Substance Requiring Containment Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been updated.
Key SOP changes are summarized below and will be highlighted on posters in affected animal care facilities in the coming weeks. Posters will be separated by individual roles and responsibilities – one poster will detail changes impacting ULAM personnel and one poster will detail changes impacting research personnel.
Every individual who may perform procedures that involve the handling of animals or animal equipment contaminated with hazardous substances must read the SOP in its entirety to ensure that they are familiar with, and adhere to, all required procedures.
All individuals, including ULAM staff and research personnel, are expected to follow all new and revised procedures as outlined in the SOP by Friday, May 19, 2023.
Summary of Changes
Procedure/Area of Interest
New/Revised Procedure Summary
Definitions for Infectious/Biological Substances and Chemical Substances
Definitions for “Infectious/Biological Agents” and “Chemical Agents” have been updated to “Infectious/Biological Substances” and “Chemical Substances” to remain consistent with the terms used in eRAM.
Containment Housing Request Form
Effective April 17, 2023, the ULAM Containment Housing Request Form will be moved to eRAM.
Research personnel needing containment housing must use this form to submit their request to ULAM Husbandry Supervisors. All communication between ULAM husbandry personnel and study teams about containment housing requests will now occur via eRAM.
For additional information, please refer to this announcement.
Containment Room Entry Procedure Signs
Research personnel should contact their facility’s ULAM Husbandry Supervisor 
to obtain the appropriate Room Entry Sign for their approved space/species.
ULAM Husbandry Supervisors are responsible for posting the appropriate Room Entry Procedure Sign on the outside of each containment area (i.e., housing room door, cubicle, and/or designated procedure room).
Species-Specific Animal Handling Details
Information about appropriate animal handling details is available in each species-specific SOP.
Forceps Use
All personnel are required to use forceps when manipulating mice in containment housing rooms.
ULAM husbandry personnel are responsible for stocking forceps in rooms.
Transportation Requirements
The following is NO LONGER required when transporting animals out of containment housing:
- Use of a cart with sides and
- Wiping down the outside of the secondary container
Please refer to the SOP for all transportation requirements for animals to/from containment housing.
Handling Loose Animals
Added reference to the Procedures for Loose Mice and Rats SOP for detailed instructions on what to do in the event of a loose animal.
Reporting Loose Animals
Clarified individual responsibilities for reporting loose animals:
- IF a loose animal is discovered by research personnel, it should be reported to the facility’s ULAM Husbandry Supervisor
- IF a loose animal is discovered by ULAM staff, research personnel will be notified (if the animal is identifiable) and
- The ULAM Husbandry Supervisor will contact EHS IF a live trap has been set or if the loose animal causes harm or injury to personnel
Alternate Location for Euthanasia Station Sign
If a CO2 euthanasia station is not available inside the containment housing area, a sign (Appendix M) will be posted with the alternate euthanasia station location.
Labeling Dirty Cages with RCRA Substance Information
Added a new requirement that all dirty cages and cage components left in the containment housing room must be labeled with the RCRA substance name using a washable marker so that appropriate waste collection and decontamination procedures can be followed.
Containment Room Binder Cover Page
Updated Cover Page(s) for Containment Room Binders to include the updated symbol (green square) for chemical hazards.
Required Use of N-95 Masks
N-95 masks must be worn when:
- Changing liners or cage board
- Creating aerosols and/or spraying
Labeling Cages & Bottles
Appendix J has been updated with new examples of the proper labels to place on cages and bottles containing biological or chemical hazards.
Rodent Cage Change Order
Appendix K has been updated with new examples of the proper labels used for biological and chemical hazards.
A revised flowchart will be posted in each containment housing room.
List of RCRA Regulated Waste
Appendix N now links to an interactive spreadsheet containing all RCRA regulated waste.
Euthanizing Animals in Containment Housing
Any animals housed in containment housing (including naïve and hazardous animals) must be euthanized within the containment room or designated area.
Links marked with a lock icon can only be accessed using valid U-M login credentials.
Procedure/Area of Interest
New/Revised Procedure Summary
Ordering Animals for Containment Housing
Clarified that requests for containment housing must be made at the same time, or with a minimum of three business days’ notice, for new orders where animals will go directly into containment housing.
Transporting Large and/or Non-Rodent Species
Contact your ULAM Faculty Veterinarian and facility’s ULAM Husbandry Supervisor for guidance on transporting:
- Large species,
- Non-rodent species, and/or
- Any animal(s) with special circumstances not described in the SOP
Euthanizing Large Animals in Containment Housing
Contact your ULAM Faculty Veterinarian for guidance on euthanizing larger animals administered hazardous substances.
Links marked with a lock icon can only be accessed using valid U-M login credentials.
Procedure/Area of Interest
New/Revised Procedure Summary
Supplies for Containment Housing Rooms
A reference list for stocking supplies to set up a new containment room has been added (Appendix A).
Incident and Near Miss Sign
ULAM Husbandry Supervisors are responsible for posting the Incident and Near Miss Sign (Appendix B) in each containment housing room and designated procedure room.
Handling Dirty Housing Racks in Cage Wash Facilities
Outlined the process for how dirty housing racks from containment rooms should be handled in cage wash facilities with and without bulk autoclaves.
Cleaning Dirty Hoses
Clarified that dirty hoses need to be sprayed with bleach water BEFORE going to cage wash.
Cleaning Dirty Water Valves
Clarified that dirty water valves from containment housing need to be autoclaved BEFORE washing.
Yellow Hazardous Waste Label
Added instructions for recording all required information on the yellow hazardous waste label (See Section 12.c.ii.2.e).
Waste Manifest
Clarified that the Waste Manifest Form must remain with the collection container for solid and liquid waste only AFTER HazMat has been called for pick up.
Waste Container Pickup and Accumulation Start Dates
Removed the requirement for recording an Accumulation Start Date on the Waste Manifest Form and reusable Chemical Waste Containers.
Since an Accumulation Start Date is no longer required, EHS only needs to be contacted for pick up once waste collection containers are full.
Infectious & Chemical Substance Forms
Both the Infectious Substance Form (Appendix D) and Chemical Substance Form (Appendix E) have been updated to remove duplicate information found on Room Entry Procedure Signs.
Required PPE for Chicken/Rabbit Containment Housing Rooms
Clarified that sealed eye protection AND a face shield are required if spraying in chicken or rabbit containment housing areas.
Required PPE for Pig/Dog/Sheep Containment Housing Rooms
Clarified that sealed eye protection AND a face shield are required if spraying in pig/dog/sheep containment cages, rooms, or runs.
Bleach Dilutions for Containment Housing Rooms
Appropriate Bleach dilutions for containment housing rooms have been updated. Please refer to Appendix L in the SOP for detailed information.
Questions?
- Questions or concerns about the updated Animals Administered a Hazardous Substance Requiring Containment SOP should be directed to your facility’s ULAM Husbandry Supervisor .
- If you would like to receive supplemental training on any of these procedures, please contact the ULAM Training Core at [email protected] or (734) 763-8039.
- General questions pertaining to lab safety should be directed to the department of Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) at [email protected] or (734) 647-1143.
Links marked with a lock icon can only be accessed using valid U-M login credentials.