Health and Safety

The Animal Care and Use Program (ACAUP) continuously works with WWU Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)  and the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) to ensure the safety of staff working in animal research. During the IACUC review process, EHS also reads the protocol and will document safety-related concerns within the investigator’s protocol and EHS and/or ACAUP staff will communicate concerns and requirements with the PI as necessary. 

Occupational Health and Safety

Per the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide pg 17), Animal Care and Use Programs must establish and maintain an occupational health and safety program that covers all personnel that have contact with animals. Depending on the facility, research activities, hazards, and animal species involved, the program may not affect all personnel equally. Read more about the medical evaluation requirements for employees and students on the Occupational Health and Safety page.

Disasters are “unexpected conditions that result in the catastrophic failure of critical systems or significant personnel absenteeism, or other unexpected events that severely compromise ongoing animal care and well-being" (Guide p.35). Example disaster plans are available on the WWU EHS Emergency Planning page and on the OLAW website. 

Contact EHS for more information about how to get the contingency plan for your protocol on file with their office.

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is responsible for the duties described in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules (NIH Guidelines). The NIH Guidelines are applicable to all recombinant DNA research conducted at or sponsored by any institution receiving support from the NIH. This means they apply to everyone who participates in research, instruction, or work at Western. The Committee is responsible for reviewing recombinant DNA activities regulated under the NIH Guidelines, and may also review other biological safety considerations or recommendations.

• Trainings
• Incident Prevention
• Incident and Hazard Reporting
• Chemical Safety in Laboratories
• Chemical Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Safe handling Guides
• Biological Safety in Laboratories
• Waste Matrix
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Hazard Assessment
• Campus Chemical and Safety Assurance Project

Questions?

Questions about Environmental Health and Safety Resources should be directed to EHS.