eBook: Safe and Effective Research in the Vivarium - 20

you are distracted, tired, or feel overworked-is the
road to mitigating risk. One approach focuses on behaviors and tools that reinforce safety engagement.
Keeping them in mind helps to promote safety compliance, reduce errors and accidents, and moves individuals and organizations in the direction of establishing a safety culture.

ATS vs. BSC
While animal transfer stations and biological safety
cabinets look similar and share airflow concepts, the
differences between them are critical to understanding which one is correct for your specific research.
Animal transfer stations are easy-to-use and mobile,
allowing ergonomic cage change processes while
protecting both animals and personnel. Typically, an
ATS is double-sided, and has a large sash opening
[14 inches (354 mm)]. And while they are essential
to any vivarium, they are not governed by any standards, meaning there's a wide range of variability in
design and performance between manufacturers.
Additionally, ATS units are usually not appropriate
for work with biological hazard. On the other hand,
a BSC is governed under the NSF/ANSI 49 Standard,
which strictly enforces performance, design, testing
and maintenance. BSCs also provide a level of animal and personnel protections that are not plausible
with ATSs and can work with toxic and higher-risk
agents (depending on class and type).

" Where laboratory employees are the center of
safety management, where workers are directly engaged in identifying procedures and validating processes, that's where you achieve a focus on optimum
performance and the foundation for a safety culture, " said Jan Wachter, Safety Program Coordinator
at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
When it comes to safety, Ian Olesen, Biosafety
Expert at The Laboratory Safety Institute says, the
what, the how and the why are equal partners in
lab worker training.
" It's important for workers to learn the safety measures common to the different types of hoods on
which they work, and also measures specific to each.
That's one part. Understanding how each safety
measure mitigates risk is equally important, which
contributes to cooperation, and contributes to
building a culture of safety, " he said.

Protocols and Checklists
Protocol is always important in a workplace, especially so in areas where there is a risk of injury or
death. A pilot doesn't skip his/her readiness steps-
and neither should a laboratory technician.

The work surface of an Animal Transfer Station (ATS) contains vacuum
slots that pulls in air from around the work surface creating an air
barrier. A single sided ATS features a stronger air barrier for improved
containment.

The handling of animals, chemicals, and microbes
requires precision. Following protocol at all times
helps avoid incidents like animal scratches or bites,
contamination, cross-contamination and chemical
accidents. For example, when working in a biosafety cabinet, make three distinct spaces within the

Establishing a safe workplace
Knowing about safe working practice is only half
the story. Putting safety into practice -even when

eBook: Safe and Effective Research in the Vivarium

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of eBook: Safe and Effective Research in the Vivarium