University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Animal Experimentation Involving Hazardous Agents

Cages housing animals exposed to hazardous substances should have a solid bottom and sides and be fitted with a filter top. Personnel caring for or examining animals exposed to hazardous agents must be aware of the material and properly trained to handle it. Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) must be worn. Personnel should wash their hands after the task has been completed and before entering another room. A clean-up procedure and cleaning agents must be available and used.

Special Qualifications for Personnel
Hazardous Materials Committee
Disposal of Sharps

Special Qualifications For Personnel Using Hazardous Agents
Professional staff conducting projects with hazardous biological, chemical or physical agents should be qualified to assess the danger associated with these programs and capable of selecting safeguards appropriate to the dangers of using hazardous agents. Animal care staff will be informed of safeguard procedures and become proficient in implementing the required safeguards before they are asked to care for animals receiving hazardous agents.

The use of animals in studies conducted with hazardous agents requires special considerations. These studies must be reviewed and approved by the UNL IACUC and Biosafety Committees. Animal experiments with hazardous agents will have formal written safety programs, safeguards for control of the agent. The principal investigator must ensure that the staff is competent and have adequate facilities to carry out the research safely. The use of certain hazardous agents necessitates compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and with guidelines issued by granting institutions. Publications containing regulations and guidelines include:

  • Code of Federal Regulations. 1984. Title 10; Part 20. Standards for Protection against Radiation. Washington, DC: Office of the Federal Register. Code of Federal Regulations. 1984. Title 29. Part 1910.
  • Occupational Safety and Health Standards; Subpart G, Occupational Health and Environmental Control and Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances. Washington, DC: Office of the Federal Register.
  • Code of Federal Regulations. 1984. Title 40; Part 260. Hazardous Waste Management System: General, Part 261, Identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste; Part 262, Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste; Part 263, Standards Applicable to Transporters of Hazardous Waste; Part 264, Standards for Owners and Operators of Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities; Part 265, Interim Status Standards for Owners and Operators of Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities; and Part 270, EPA Administered Permit Programs: The Hazardous Waste Permit Program. Washington, DC: Office of the Federal Register.
  • Centers for Disease Control and National Institute of Health. 1984. Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories. DHHS pub. No. (CDC)84-8395. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Service, 100pp.
  • National Cancer Institute. 1974.National Cancer Institute Safety Standards for Research Involving Oncogenic Viruses. DHEW Pub. No. (NIH) 78-790. Washington, DC: US Department of Health, Education and Welfare. 20pp.
  • National Cancer Institute. 1976.Biological Safety Manual for Research Involving Oncogenic Viruses. DHEW
  • Pub. No. 76-1165. Washington, DC: US Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
  • National Institutes of Health. 1979. Laboratory Safety Monograph. A Supplement to the NIH Guidelines for Recombinant DNA Research. Washington, DC: US Department of Health, Education and Welfare. 227pp.
  • National Institutes of Health. 1981. NIH Guidelines for the Laboratory Use of Chemical Carcinogens. NIH Pub. No. 81-2385.
  • National Institutes of Health. 1984. Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules. Fed. Regist. 49(227):46266-46291.
  • Subcommittee on Arbovirus Laboratory Safety, American Committee on Arthropod-Borne Viruses. 1980. Laboratory Safety for Arboviruses and Certain Other Viruses of Vertebrates. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 29:1359-1381.

Hazardous Materials Committee
Guidance in assisting faculty with the storage, handling and disposal of hazardous materials is the responsibility of the Hazardous Materials Use Committee. The Guidelines for the Safe Use of Hazardous Materials and the Disposal of Hazardous Waste provides the framework for the handling of hazardous materials at UNL. Questions may be directed to: Ms. Jill Hyslop-Bohling, Bio-Safety Officer, Phone: 472-9551.

Disposal of Sharps
Sharps, (cutting or puncturing objects), including syringe, needles, lancets, razor blades, surgical blades, capillary tubes and other similar items, are commonly used in UNL research, academic and clinical areas. Incorrect disposal of sharps has caused injury to other UNL employees, including service employees handling and transporting them for disposal. It is often impossible to trace the source of the sharp items to determine if the employee has been exposed to an infectious agent. Good laboratory procedure includes care that others are not placed at risk of injury.

For disposal, sharps waste must be deposited in labeled, leakproof, rigid, puncture-resistant, break-resistant containers which have fitted lids. If sharps are used in collecting diagnostic samples, care or treatment of human patients or animals infected with zoonotic disease, the sharps disposal containers must be autoclaved before placing them in the regular UNL waste container for disposal. Those sharps containers not requiring autoclaving may be placed directly in the waste container for disposal. Approved sharps disposal containers may be purchased at Business Services.

Similarly, broken glass must be contained separately from the normal waste. Broken glass must be placed in a box, carton or similar container to provide rigidity and protection, and appropriately sealed and labeled before trashing in the regular waste container. As with sharps, if the broken glass container requires autoclaving, it can be placed in an autoclave bag and autoclaved before being placed in the regular waste container for disposal.

For additional information or questions regarding procedures, please call: Ms. Jill Hyslop-Bohling, Division of Environmental Health and Safety. Phone: 472-9551