Animal Researchers
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Below is a summary of the 6 requirements that all personnel wishing to work with laboratory animals and/or gain facility access must complete. Note: Principal Investigators on an animal use proposal must complete these requirements regardless of whether they will be directly working animals.
Once you have completed all of the steps below, you will have fulfilled the University Committee for Animal Welfare (UCAW) training requirements and a request may be submitted to add you to a UCAW proposal in iRIS. Your principal investigator or laboratory manager must submit a request to have you added to a UCAW proposal, and you will receive an email from iRIS once you are approved. You may not perform any of the work until you have received approval. After you are approved as a project participant on a proposal in iRIS, you can submit a facility access request.
1
Complete Level II Training
All personnel wishing to work with laboratory animals and requesting access into animal facilities must complete this training before they will be approved as project participants and granted facility access.
This course is designed to ensure that individuals understand the principles of humane animal care and are qualified to handle the species proposed for use. All research personnel listed on an animal-use proposal must complete the course before they can participate on an animal research study. In addition, refresher training is required every three years to ensure that all personnel working with animals stay informed of the regulatory requirements. Those who have not met training requirements at the time of proposal submission are informed of the need to do so during the proposal review process; animal use privileges are contingent upon meeting the UCAW training requirements. See the UCAW policy "Required Training" for further information about Level II "Working with the UCAW."
For users who do not have a CITI account, you must register with the UofL ID version of your email address. View instructions for registering a new CITI account.
For users who already have a CITI account, see instructions for adding new courses to an EXISTING CITI account.
2
Complete OHS Training
The Occupational Health and Safety Training for Animal Handlers is one of two parts of the Occupational Health and Safety Program (OHSP) and must be completed by all participants working with animals, animal tissue, or in animal use areas (both PI-maintained and animal facilities). See the UCAW policy "Individual Risk Assessment and Medical Surveillance" for further information about the UofL OHSP.
For users who do not have a CITI account, you must register with the UofL ID version of your email address. View instructions for registering a new CITI account.
For users who already have a CITI account, see instructions for adding new courses to an EXISTING CITI account.
3
Complete Periodic Animal Health Survey
The periodic animal health survey is the second part of the OHSP and is mandatory for all personnel working with animals, animal tissue, or in animal use areas (both PI-maintained and animal facilities). Health surveys should be submitted directly to Campus Health via email to occmed@louisville.edu with the subject line "Animal Contact Health Survey - Your Name." Health Surveys may take 1-2 weeks to process.
4
Complete UCAW Participant Training Attestation
This is used to record your experience and training on all procedures assigned to personnel on UCAW proposals. Each procedure should be a separate entry. All training and experience should be species-specific. Any procedures for which you will be assigned responsibility, but have not yet had training should never be performed independently prior to training. Note: you should periodically update your training attestation to reflect all newly-obtained training. View the information sheet.
All UCAW participant training logs should be emailed to the UCAW office. Please send as the file name "Last Name, First Name - UCAW Training Log."
5
Complete Euthanasia Training
If you are responsible for euthanasia, you must attend a hands-on euthanasia training session with CMRU veterinary faculty/staff or an CMRU-certified euthanasia trainer. Register here.
6
Complete Rodent Surgery Training
If you are responsible for performing surgery (both survival and non-survival) on rodents, you must complete UCAW mandated training requirements:
- CITI Program Course: “Post-Procedure Care of Mice and Rats in Research: Minimizing Pain and Distress” (Only required for Survival Surgery)
- CITI Program Course: “Rodent Aseptic Surgery"
- Rodent Surgery I and II, or Surgery Observation
7
Complete Rodent Biomethodology Training
If you are responsible for handling rodents, you must complete the UCAW mandated hands-on training session with CMRU veterinary faculty/staff.
Occupational Health and Safety Program
Enrollment in the Occupational Health and Safety Program (OHSP) is mandatory for all personnel exposed to animals or animal areas and must be renewed every three years. OHSP enrollment consists of 2 parts: a CITI training course and the Individual Risk Assessment (the Periodic Animal Contact Health Survey [PDF]).
The CITI training course, titled "Occupational Health and Safety Training for Animal Handlers," includes information about animal-related hazards such as allergies, bites, and scratches; zoonotic diseases; physical hazards such as "sharps," electrical hazards, and compressed gas cylinders; and the use of hazardous agents. All individuals wishing to work independently with animals must take this course and successfully pass a quiz based on its contents.