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The
UAF Office of Research Integrity in conjunction with the UAF
Department of Environmental Health & Safety and Risk Management, the
University of Alaska Statewide Office of Risk Management, UAF
Veterinary Services and in consultation with the university’s
contract health care provider has established a risk assessment
matrix for categorizing personnel working within UAF units
that house animals for research and teaching. Risk
categories are based on frequency and duration of contact
with animals, intensity of exposure, hazards associated with
the animals being handled, hazardous properties of agents used
in research, the susceptibility of individual employees, the
hazard-control measures available, and the occupational history
of individual employees. All potential hazards intrinsic to
or inherent in animal use have been identified and evaluated
(i.e. animal bites, chemical cleaning agents, allergens, and
zoonoses).
All UAF
personnel (faculty, staff, students and volunteers) must enroll
in the OHSP prior to beginning work in the UAF animal facilities.
Personnel must continue to fully particpate in the OHSP in
order to continue to access to the UAF Animal Facilities and
work under an IACUC approved protocol. Participation in the
OHSP follows a sequence of steps:
- Download
the UAF OHSP Hazard Evaluation Survey (HES) from the Forms
page (link at left). This is an MS Word document that must
be completed electronically.
- The HES
should be completed by the participating individual and their
supervisor. Supervisors and principal investigators may complete
this form on their own. Once completed, the HES must be sent
electronically to the UAF Office
of Research Integrity.
- The HES
is then reviewed by UAF Veterinary Services (VS), Office
of Research Integrity (ORI) and Environmental Health & Safety
and Risk Management (EH&S) to assign the participating
individual to one of three pre-defined risk categories. Veterinary
Services specifies educational requirements in animal care.
EH&S determines the required training in lab & chemical
safety, biohazards, radiation safety, field safety, driver
training, and ergonomics.
- Both
the participant and their supervisor will be notified by
the Office of Research Integrity of the risk level the participant
has been assigned to and given any specific instructions
regarding their continuing participation in the OHSP.
- If the
assigned risk category requires a pre-assignment medical
assessment the participant will be advised to complete a
Medical Questionnaire (MQ) for review by the contract Health
Care Provider. The MQ is available on the Forms page of this
website. This is a confidential medical document, and as
such should be completed by the participant and sent directly
to the Health Care Provider; it is maintained in the medical
record and not returned to the participant or the University.
- Following
review of the HES and MQ, the Health Care Provider may recommend
risk specific preventive measures, immunizations, and/or
health monitoring.
- Once
the assessment is complete, the results of the assessment
are returned to the participating individual and his/her
supervisor notifying them of the final determination and
of any requirements.
- Once
the participant has fulfilled the recommendations or provided
justification for exclusion they may conduct the work specified
in the HES.
- The participant
and their supervisor must ensure that the HES is kept current
with respect to any changes in job or task and any changes
in animal contact or exposure to hazardous agents. Significant
changes in activities require a new risk assessment.
- Each
participant is responsible for ensuring that they submit
an updated MQ whenever there is a significant change in their
health status.
- Participants
are required to re-enroll in this program annually. The Office
of Research Integrity will notify all participants in this
program one month prior to the renewal date. Failure to re-enroll
by the deadline will result in loss of animal facility access
privileges.
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