Safety

Safety

Resources to Safeguard, Promote Responsible Animal Care & Use

As your partners and colleagues in the conduct of responsible research, the entire Animal Care & Use (ACU) Program team, along with our many cross-campus collaborators, place the utmost importance on ensuring animal welfare, maintaining programmatic compliance, and communicating about the important role that animals play in scientific discoveries to benefit both human and animal ...
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Facilities Safety SOP ULAM

Safe Animal Transport: What to Know Before You Go

All methods of transport must, first and foremost, provide for animal health and welfare. This includes, but is not limited to, avoiding exposure to potential pathogens, preventing injury or escape, and reducing environmental stressors (e.g., temperature extremes, odors, and excessive noise). Before and during ANY animal transport, please remember to:  *Note that different processes and ...
Do Not Forget reminder note

Facilities Safety

Summer Fashion in the Laboratory – What NOT to Wear

With the arrival of warm weather and many individuals returning to campus, now is the perfect time to review the basics of proper personal attire in the laboratory with your staff (including students). REGARDLESS of outdoor weather conditions, personal attire worn in the laboratory and/or animal care facility should ALWAYS provide full coverage of the legs, ...
Infographic showing proper personal attire for the laboratory

Facilities Safety

Collaborating to Build A Safer, More Secure Animal Care & Use Community

As your partners in conducting responsible research to benefit both human and animal health, members of the Animal Care & Use Program and, by extension, our collaborators across campus, place the utmost importance on the safety and security of our U-M research community. To this end, we would like to draw your attention to two ...
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eRAM IACUC Safety

Medical Surveillance Clearance Requirement for Protocol Approval

Institutions are responsible for maintaining an Occupational Health & Safety Program (OHSP) as part of their overall animal care and use program. This program must comply with all federal, state, and local regulations, and should focus on maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) is responsible for overseeing ...
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Facilities Safety

We’re Looking for a Few Good Research Role Models

With many new faculty, staff, and students descending upon campus to start the new academic year, we’re looking for a few good research role models. You may wonder, what makes a good research role model? Any individual in any position (student, administrator, faculty, staff, technician, etc.) can serve as an exemplary research role model for ...
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Facilities Safety

The Importance of Proper Sharps Disposal

Needlestick injuries are often a reality for nurses and lab personnel who regularly use needles in their day-to-day operations. Unfortunately, when needles and other sharps are not properly disposed of, these injuries can be incurred by individuals whose roles don’t involve handling of needles and who are otherwise unaware of their presence – including ULAM ...
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Safety SOP

Safety Check: Animals Perfused with Paraformaldehyde and Formalin

Formalin and paraformaldehyde (PFA) are used as fixatives that act to preserve and stabilize cells and tissues prior to the examination process. The most common application of these agents is transcardial perfusion. Because formalin and PFA solutions emit formaldehyde gas, a known human carcinogen, safe handling of these agents and the appropriate disposal of all ...
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Husbandry Safety SOP

Reminders for Transporting Animals Between Buildings and Throughout Campus

When transporting animals between animal care facilities (either from room to room, building to building, or through a public area), please remember that all methods of transport MUST, first and foremost, provide for the health and welfare of the animals. Transport must also: A comprehensive list of procedures for transporting all animal species within or ...
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Husbandry Safety SOP

Take Special Precautions When Transporting Animals in Extreme Temperatures

Ensuring the overall integrity and well-being of animals in transport is essential to maintaining animal welfare and minimizing the effects of environmental variables on your research. In addition to avoiding exposure to potential pathogens and preventing injury, it is especially important to maintain the animal’s health status by reducing external stressors such as temperature extremes, ...
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Husbandry Safety

Animal Bites and Scratches: Prepare, Protect, Report

All animals are capable of inflicting bites and scratches. Small animals, such as laboratory rodents and rabbits, usually deliver relatively minor, albeit painful, wounds. Bites inflicted by larger animals can potentially result in tissue damage. Bite and scratch wounds can become infected by the animal’s normal bacterial flora found on the oral mucous membranes or ...
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Safety

EHS Offers New Tools, Resources for Field Studies

The Department of Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) has recently updated their website to provide additional tools and resources for individuals conducting field research. Updates include: Visit the EHS website for additional EHS Field Research Safety Guidance. Please note that the tools and resources listed on this page do NOT pertain to IACUC policies governing ...
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