ABSTRACT
The organization of an effective institutional program in occupational health and safety for personnel involved in animal care and use usually requires a multi-disciplinary team approach. This entails the commitment of financial and human resources, and although the latter may occasionally be invested with a spirit of volunteerism, in most institutions the former usually is not. Accordingly, Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals (2) clearly identifies that, ultimately, the senior official is accountable and bears the responsibility for a safe and healthy workplace. This individual has the ability and authority to provide the essential resources (financial, facility, and human) and to provide guidance to the program managers responsible for establishing operating policies. Although this document does not carry the force of regulation, it does serve as a primary reference document by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC, International) in the peer review process. The senior official may (and usually does) delegate or assign responsibility for the program components to other appropriate persons, but should be aware of technical and management issues and be routinely advised on the status of issues in the program. The actual reporting structure and mechanism may vary according to the type of institution. A health and safety professional, veterinary director, or laboratory animal facility manager might be the focal point for interaction with the senior official in this area. Thus, these individuals may be in the position of being the bearer of bad news if there are deficiencies in the program such as a lack of necessary resources or an ineffective team for addressing these matters. The periodic critiques provided by the IACUC in the semi-annual reviews are an important source of information in this area for the senior official and can be an effective way to garner additional institutional support for health and safety initiatives in the research animal facility.
