5-10 Vivaria Access: Visitors Policy

• Attachments are included in the PDF file.
• Effective date of this revision: August 24, 2020
• Contact for more information: Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Office of Research Compliance

BACKGROUND

Various individuals interested in animal research, including students considering involvement in research projects, visit Central Michigan University (CMU) vivaria and observe procedures conducted by Principal Investigators (PIs), their research students, and staff. During these observations, such visitors observe and may ask questions. The visitors do not handle or conduct procedures on animals. Only a subset of those who make such observational visits will eventually participate in a CMU research project involving work with animals.

PURPOSE

Considerable time, effort and resources are necessary for training those who work independently with animals in the CMU vivaria. Such training is required for those permitted independent access to the vivaria. This policy allows individuals visiting CMU vivaria accompanied access to the vivaria without completing Institutional animal care and use training, but with stipulations outlined below. This policy is consistent with CMU Administrative Policy #3-58, the Laboratory Entry and Access Policy, as well as the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee’s (IACUC’s) Mandatory Training Policy.

DEFINITIONS

• Facility Manager: The individual responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of a vivarium.
• Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC): The oversight body composed of individuals within an organization performing federally mandated oversight of the care and use of animals at that organization.
• Principal Investigator (PI): The individual responsible for conceiving, running and overseeing a research project.
• Visitors: Student observers considering participation in animal research and other individuals touring the facilities.
• Designee: For the purposes of this policy, Designees are individuals authorized by a PI, the IACUC, or Facility Staff to guide and supervise visitors during the visitor’s time in a CMU vivarium. Designees may include other PIs, research associates and postdoctoral associates, graduate students, advanced undergraduate researchers, or facility staff. Designees must have successfully completed the training required for unaccompanied access to the vivarium as described in the IACUC’s Mandatory Training Policy. The Mandatory training Policy may be found in the list of Policies, SOPs and Guidance on the IACUC’s website.
• Vivarium: An animal care facility

POLICY

1. Visitors may enter CMU vivaria when accompanied by facility staff, a PI with animals in the facility and current facility access, an appropriately trained course instructor, or a PI’s designee. Accompanied access will require adherence to the stipulations below.
2. Visitors will only access the vivarium accompanied by vivarium staff, the PI, or their designee. The role of designee for this purpose will require written confirmation of assignment by the PI;
3. Visitors will adhere to all rules specific to the facility they are accessing and CMU’s Lab Access and Entry Policy. In particular Visitors will use all personal protective equipment (PPE) required within the facility;
4. Visitors will not handle animals, transfer animals, conduct surgery or other procedures with animals, or otherwise materially alter the behavior of animals during their observation visits;
5. On each visit to the vivarium, Visitors and the accompanying PI or designee will be required to log in (sign in) to the vivarium with a log-book to be kept in an accessible location (e.g., the break/conference room in the Health Professions Vivarium);
6. Principle investigators or their designees will inform Visitors of potential hazards in the vivarium. Notification will include sharing allergy information sheets with Visitors. Visitors will acknowledge their understanding of hazards by signing the Visitor’s logbook.
7. Those who decide to participate in animal research must complete training as outlined in the IACUC Policy on Mandatory Training (available on the IACUC’s Website) before they may be granted unaccompanied access.

Central Michigan University reserves the right to make exceptions to, modify or eliminate this policy and or its content. This document supersedes all previous policies, procedures or guidelines relative to this subject.