General Guidelines for Users and Visitors to NTU. Animal Research Facility

Transcription

1 1. OVERVIEW General Guidelines for Users and Visitors to NTU Animal Research Facility The Animal Research Facility (ARF) is the only licensed building to hold and use animals for scientific research in NTU. It was established in 2002 by the School of Biological Sciences. ARF is a standalone 2-storeys building located directly opposite the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering (SCBE). It is connected via an underground tunnel to the School of Biological Sciences (SBS). Level 1 is a BSL1, specific pathogen-free facility with small 7 animal holding rooms and 4 procedure rooms. Level 2 is a conventional small animal facility with 3 animal holding rooms and a BSL2 laboratory. All animals on Level 1 are housed in individually-ventilated cage (IVC) systems. The ARF holds a BioBeam gamma irradiation device and IVIS SpectrumCT Pre-clinical In Vivo Imaging System. ARF is monitored by CCTV. 2. AUTHORIZED ACCESS Entry to the ARF is only permitted to authorized personnel. Each authorization will last for a maximum of two years. To be eligible for access, the personnel must fulfil the following: 1. Personnel working with animals must have the Responsible Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (RCULA) certificate. 2. Personnel working with animals must have a protocol or part of the researchers in the protocol that is approved by the NTU s Institutional Care and Use Committee, NTU IACUC. 3. Personnel must submit a security access application form to the Laboratory Animal Facility Manager. For IACUC matters please refer to the IACUC Secretariat, iacuc@ntu.edu.sg. Visitors must seek approval from the Laboratory Animal Facility Manager before entry. The ARF management reserves the right to decline entry without proper approval. All personnel who will be working in the facility must go through the Safety Induction conducted by SBS and facility orientation by the ARF management before commencing work. Visitors are allowed entry only with accompaniment of authorized personnel at all times. 3. ENTRY There are 2 main entrances to the Animal Research Facility. The entrance to Level 1 can be accessed from the main road or from the SBS underground tunnel. The entrance to Level 2 can be accessed from the main road. Personnel shall refer to the Procedure for Entry and Exit to Animal Research Facility for step-by-step instructions on the proper entry to the ARF. Personal Protective Equipment Page 1 of 5

2 (PPE) and covered shoes must be worn upon entering the facility. PPE are available on both levels of ARF. Personnel are allowed to bring a small set of tools and reagents for their procedures. For large equipment/devices, prior approval must be sought. These shall be decontaminated and the steps are described in the abovementioned procedure. Personal belongings such as backpacks and lunch bags are not allowed into the facility. 4. HOUSE RULES AND SAFETY All personnel shall attend the Safety Induction conducted by SBS before commencing laboratory work in the ARF. Please refer to the In-house Safety Rules for SBS Labs and adhere to the rules described at all times. All personnel shall practice good laboratory practices for the safety of the humans and animals. All tools must be labelled with the PI s name. Reagents must bear the Globally Harmonized System Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), and include the PI s name, expiry date and content name. Tools and reagents should always be removed from the ARF after every trip as it is a shared facility. However, the personnel may leave it in the procedure room for the day at their own risk if they are returning to continue their work the next day. The ARF does not bear the responsibility for lost items. Level 1: Personnel shall enter and exit via the locker room if they wish to return to continue working in Level 1 on the same day. Carcasses can be discarded in the allocated refrigerator in the clean area. Personnel who have entered the dirty zone are not allowed back into the clean zone for the day. However, they may continue working in Level 2. Level 2: Personnel shall enter and exit via the main entrance. Entry to Level 2 from the Level 1 lift lobby shall be minimized. However, exceptions can be made to personnel who require the lift for larger equipment such as liquid nitrogen Dewar. Level 2 Fish Lab: Personnel from the fish lab group may enter Level 2 of the facility in gloves only. However, they are not permitted to other rooms other than the fish lab without PPE. PPE should be worn at both Levels 1 and 2 lift area. 5. ANIMAL ETHICS AND CARE All animals used for scientific purposes must be done according to the National Advisory Committee for Laboratory Animal Research (NACLAR) Guidelines. The ARF provides provisions that are basic essentials for the animals. These include sterile cages with corn cob bedding, nestlets, autoclaved water and irradiated diet. All cages and animals are observed once daily by the animal caretakers. Each cage is changed once every days, or as and when needed. Diet and water are provided ad libitum unless otherwise stated by the researcher. All animal holding rooms follows a 12 hour light-dark cycle. Page 2 of 5

3 All researchers are responsible for the wellbeing of their animals. All protocols must adhere to the NTU IACUC Policy. All cages must be labelled with the IACUC protocol number, PI s name, strain, gender, birth date and other valid information on the cage cards provided. 6. CHARGES Please refer to the Animal Care Charges document for more information. (Appendix I) 7. DOCUMENTATION Researchers shall monitor and document the number of animals approved for their use, breeding, weaning and euthanize records. These records are subjected to checks during the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) during the annual inspection. Prior approval must be given for every ingoing and outgoing animal. Please refer to the forms under Ethics in the following link for the relevant forms: 8. USE OF PROCEDURE ROOMS AND EQUIPMENT The procedure rooms and equipment in ARF can be booked online via the following link: Personnel shall the Laboratory Animal Facility Manager to request for booking access. Personnel shall use the rooms and equipment only within the reserved time. All personnel shall keep the shared procedure rooms neat and tidy to create a safe working environment for all users. BSL1 work can be conducted on the bench top while work involving risk group 2 agents, i.e. BSL2 work shall be conducted in Biological Safety Cabinets. Provisions such as M-fold paper, 70% ethanol, trash bags, PPE are provided in all rooms. 9. ANIMAL EUTHANASIA Depending on the protocol, the animals may be euthanized using different methods. Carbon dioxide is provided in Procedure Room 2 on Level 1 and the BSL-2 laboratory on Level WASTE AND CARCASS DISPOSAL Waste shall be discarded properly in the appropriate receptacle. Biohazard waste, including blood stained tissues, must be discarded as biohazard waste. Glass and sharps must be discarded in the sharps bin located in all procedure rooms. General waste bins are also provided at various locations for other non-biohazard waste such as torn gloves, tissue used for cleaning the table etc. Page 3 of 5

4 Researchers are responsible for liquid wastes. Liquid wastes, whether chemical or biohazard, must be contained in a carboy with secondary containment. Proper GHS labels should be used and include information such as PI s name and mixture. Researchers must arrange disposal of liquid waste when about 80% full. Carcasses must be disposed in a separate biohazard bag. Biohazard bags with carcasses shall be double-bagged and sealed with autoclave tape, then stored in the freezer located in the dirty area of Level REPORTING ANIMAL WELFARE CONCERNS If there are concerns related to issues with the care and use of laboratory animals for scientific research or animal husbandry, persons may contact the NTU IACUC (iacuc@ntu.edu.sg). Confidentiality of informant will be protected. 12. CONTACT INFORMATION The address of the facility and contact information can be found below: Address: In-charge: Designation: Animal Research Facility 60 Nanyang Drive Singapore Ms Lee Shok Li Laboratory Animal Facility Manager shokli@ntu.edu.sg Office No.: ARF Level 1: ARF Level 2: Emergency No.: Page 4 of 5

5 Appendix I Page 5 of 5