Policies and Procedures

Visitors* to animal laboratories must adhere to applicable guidelines and regulations set forth by the IACUC, the UM Department of Health and Safety, and state and federal agencies.

*Visitors are persons who are not UM faculty, staff, or students and will have transient contact with animals or animal or human tissue.

Definition of Animal Area

An animal area is any room, laboratory, corridor, or building that is designated for animal housing, procedures, thoroughfare for animal transport, or any room or laboratory where research animals are present.

1. Children and pets are not allowed in animal facilities.
2. Visitors must have a professional or University affiliation to enter an animal research area (i.e. potential hires, scientific partners, graduate student candidates, visiting scientists, essential maintenance, etc.). Repair personnel from physical plant and preventative maintenance personnel (i.e. cagewasher, Edstrom, hoods certification personnel, etc.) must be accompanied by the person responsible for the project or the area. This requirement is waived for government inspectors, and other visitors present at the request or as a requirement of the University.
3. Visitors whose purpose is not maintenance or repair are not allowed in the vivarium quarantine, feed and bedding, clean and dirty cagewash, clean cage storage, and biohazard areas. They may not enter the surgical suite while procedures or surgeries are underway or while animals are in recovery.
4. Visitors to animal areas must be accompanied by authorized personnel and wear a visitor badge.
5. Visits to the vivarium animal areas must be prearranged with the Animal Facility Supervisor.
6. Vendors and salespersons are allowed only in the vivarium office.
7. Visitors who will have no direct contact with animals or are only observing animal procedures for a short period of time should read the asthma and allergy materials located on the Animal Research web site (http://www.research.olemiss.edu/compliance/IACUC/health/forms) and wear appropriate personal protective equipment as minimum health precaution.
8. Visitors to animal research areas who have direct contact with animals or will have extended exposure must follow applicable policies and regulations and may be required to satisfy one or more of the following.
   1. Notify the Animal Facility Supervisor of exposure to offsite animals (including pets) within the previous 48 hours.
   2. Follow health and safety measures, e.g., proper use of personal protective equipment, occupational health requirements (submit health forms, read asthma and allergy materials, obtain tetanus vaccine as necessary), and medical surveillance tests.
   3. Obtain appropriate training, e.g., species-specific, general and specialized, health and safety. Training will be documented and a copy of this documentation will be retained by the principal investigator or their designee and the IACUC office.
   4. Comply with Biosafety Policies for research activities conducted in the National Center for Natural Products Research located in the Thad Cochran Research Center.e. Provide proof that their home institution is PHS assured, that the procedure to be conducted has been IACUC-approved and that they are qualified and trained in the procedure to be performed and with the species to be used.