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Animals > Manuals > Common Procedures Manual  

1.6 Personal Safety Practices

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This section describes general safety standards and personal safety practices.

The prescribed standards and the allotment of personal protective equipment are described in the CFIA Scales of Entitlement, Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing, which is expected to be released in the spring of 2004.

All other protective equipment and supplies must comply with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) <http://www.csa.ca>; the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) <http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca/cgsb/>, or their equivalent, such as the International Standards Organization (ISO).

General Procedures
1. Report any injury, even minor ones to your supervisor and/or record it in a Record of Injury book.
Comply with the following general safety standards:
Clothing, Footwear, and Headgear
All clothing,
footwear,
and headgear
must comply
with
prescribed
standards. 		2. Wear clothing that complies with prescribed standards for protection from cold or wet weather, for working with animals, or from exposure to dust and dirt. Clothing should fit comfortably. Avoid loose fitting clothing that may get caught on equipment or building protrusions.
3. Wear protective footwear that is easily cleaned and complies with prescribed standards regarding slippage and foot protection. Before leaving the premises, use prescribed methods to clean footwear that has been contaminated with dirt or other wastes.
4. Wear head protection that complies with prescribed standards when there is a risk of exposure to falling objects. Wear appropriate head coverings to protect from contamination and from ultraviolet radiation.
Other
Sun Screen 5. Apply a sun screen that complies with prescribed standards to protect exposed skin from ultraviolet radiation.
Wash Hands 6. Wash hands with soap and water after handling animals, tissues, preservatives and fixatives, performing a necropsy, harvesting specimens, making slides, or inoculating media.
Vision
7.

Ensure the lighting is sufficient to allow the following activities:

  • view the object being inspected
  • view the site of examination
  • view a sample collection
  • view venipuncture of an animal
  • view organs and tissues during necropsy
  • make slides
  • package and label specimens
  • record observations
8. Wear a face shield or safety glasses that comply with prescribed standards when there is a risk of material splashing or blowing into the eyes.
Hearing
9. Wear hearing protection that complies with prescribed standards when sound levels are expected to exceed 85 decibels.
Ventilation
10. Wear a surgical mask or similar equipment that complies with prescribed standards when exposure to zoonotic aerosols is possible or when working conditions are dusty.

Immediately vacate any premises with unknown odours, odours of an unknown cause or source, or when odours cause discomfort, e.g. ammonia in poultry barns.

General Hygiene
11. Prevent faecal contamination of the exterior of sample containers, blood vials, vial containers, pens, pencils, etc. Avoid materials that cause contact dermatitis or similar personal health problems. Wash hands with soap and water after handling biohazardous materials.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
12. MSDS information on chemical and infectious materials is provided to employees on the CFIA's internal Web site and on Health Canada's site at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/msds-ftss/index.html.

In addition, information on workplace safety with respect to animal pathogens is available by contacting the Biocontainment Safety and Facility Management Division by telephone (613) 221-7088 or facsimile (613) 228-6129.

Biohazardous Materials
Comply with the following standards for biohazardous materials:
Clothing, Footwear, Gloves, and Headgear
13. Wear protective clothing and footwear that complies with prescribed standards.
14.

Clean and disinfect footwear contaminated with dirt or other wastes using the following procedures:

  • select a disinfectant with appropriate detergent, bactericidal, or virucidal properties for the disease agents likely to have been encountered on the premises;
  • follow program-specific recommendations;
  • select a disinfectant considered environmentally acceptable if poured on the ground;
  • mix according to directions;
  • follow precautions described in the MSDS for the disinfectant;
  • warm water is preferred for mixing most products;
  • use Virkon®, organic iodine, coal tar derivatives, e.g. Dettol® for general use; (Chlorine is used generally when dealing with disease caused by prions.)
  • use a hose to wash off as much dirt as possible; and
  • use a long-handled brush to scrub footwear with the disinfectant solution.
15. Wear disposable surgical or examination gloves that comply with prescribed standards to prevent contamination of the hands when tail bleeding, faecal sampling, performing a necropsy, taking skin scrapings, etc. Remove gloves by turning them inside out. Discard used gloves into a waste container for biohazardous materials.
16. Wear a face shield that complies with prescribed standards to protect the face from splashed fluids.
17. Wear a surgical mask or similar equipment that complies with prescribed standards when exposure to zoonotic aerosols is possible.
Equipment
Waste Containers 18. Dispose of pipettes in a waste container for biohazardous materials.
19. Place contaminated disposable equipment and other biohazardous wastes, such as blood or tissue in a waste container for biohazardous materials.
20. Use waste containers for biohazardous materials that meet prescribed standards. Follow the company’s instructions when packaging the container for delivery to a biohazardous waste disposal site or service.

Sharps
Comply with the following guidelines to avoid injury from sharps:
21.

Keep fingers, hands, limbs, and body clear of:

  • the directed path of a knife or scalpel;
  • the path of a saw or an axe; and
  • sharp edges when cleaning and sharpening equipment.
22. Avoid breaking slides and pipettes.
23. Use hands-free methods of cleaning up broken glass such as vacuum cleaner, broom and dust pan.
24. Follow prescribed methods for handling needles. Only shielded needles should be attached to needle holders. The shields should be discarded once removed from the needle. Used needles should be disposed of in prescribed sharps containers.
25. Dispose of scalpel blades in prescribed sharps containers.

Fixatives and Preservatives
26. Prevent contact of formalin, alcohol, and other fixatives with the face or other exposed skin surfaces. Wear disposable gloves that resist the corrosive action of the fixative.
27. Wear a face shield, face mask, or safety glasses that comply with prescribed standards to prevent liquids from entering the eyes, and to prevent respiratory distress.
28. Follow MSDS procedures in case of an accident.

Handling Animals
A Source of Infection 29.

Be aware that animals can be the source of infection for a wide variety of agents and that disease can be transmitted to humans or other animals through various means including the following:

  • body fluids (blood, saliva, urine, aerosols, etc.);
  • tissues (placentas, biopsies, etc.);
  • feces;
  • raw meat;
  • scabs and thickened (inspissated) materials from skin lesions; and
  • objets contaminated with an infectious agent (bedding, clothing, needles, fomites, etc.)
Exercise Caution Comply with the following standards when handling animals and be particularly cautious if you are dealing with exotic animals that can be carriers for diseases that you are not familiar with (e.g. prairie dogs with monkey pox).
Restraint
30. Animal restraint for identification, examination, or testing purposes is the responsibility of the person having care and control of the animal.
31. Require a level, obstruction-free, non-slip walking surface around chutes or other restraint devices, e.g. cross-tying of horses.
32.

Require animals to be restrained in a manner that prevents the inspector being kicked or trampled, and allows clear access to and unimpeded withdrawal or escape from:

  • the location of the identification device
  • the site of examination, sample collection, or venipuncture.
33. Require direct restraint using halters, "nose tongs," "war bridles," nose or ear twitches, hog snares, etc. to limit motion when handling or closely observing the head of an animal.
Restraining Cervids 34. Require cervids with antlers to be restrained in a way that prevents the possibility of injury to those handling, testing, or examining the animals. Cervid males over 24 months should not be handled during the rut.
35. Require squeeze chute handles and head-gates to be flat against the side of the chute or fixed well above the head of anyone working around them.
36. Follow safe work procedures developed from job hazard analyses.
Clothing, Footwear, Headgear, and Hygiene
37. Wear prescribed protective clothing and footwear to avoid exposure to animal wastes or other soiling materials.
38. Wear prescribed face shields, face masks, or eye protection when exposure to dust, secretions, or hazardous exhaled air is possible.
39. Wear impervious gloves when handling the mouth, excretions, and secretions.
40. Wash hands with soap and water after handling animals.

Handling Packages and Containers
41. Avoid bending, stretching or lifting heavy containers when reading labels or inspecting contents.
42. Wash hands with soap and water after the inspection.

Necropsy
Comply with the following guidelines when conducting a necropsy:
43. Place the carcass far enough from walls and wall protrusions to allow unimpeded access to, and withdrawal from, the carcass. Arrange enough overhead clearance to prevent contact with the head or other parts of the carcass.
44. Seek a level, obstruction free, non-slip walking surface.


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