Module 04 - Occupational Health and Safety

Physical Hazards Associated With Experimental
Animal Care and Use

Avoiding Physical Injuries

Many tasks in animal facilities require moderate to heavy physical labour, and performing these tasks may expose personnel to risks from moving heavy equipment (strains), slippery floors, electrical hazards when washing, noise, etc. Each person must exercise due caution when performing such tasks.

Although the importance of understanding basic animal behaviour in the human/experimental animal interaction to avoid injuries can be emphasized here, it cannot replace the skills that are learned by working directly with the animals. Skilled animal care technical staff will already have the right attitudes and approaches towards animal handling and manipulations. They will also have the practical skills to do so safely and humanely. For others, some of the material presented here can serve as a useful introduction to handling animals safely in an experimental animal facility.

To work safely with an experimental animal a person should:

• understand basic animal behaviour in relation to their interactions with people during handling
• appreciate the "flight zones" typical of a species
• understand how to communicate with the animal
• use appropriate restraint techniques
• use restraint equipment properly
• identify any animals that may be unpredictable
• wear appropriate protective clothing and equipment
• maintain appropriate vaccination status