Standard Operating Procedure for Handling Animals Dosed with Toxic Chemicals

(Including Chemotherapy and Hazardous Drugs)

Additional precautions will be required for volatile toxic materials

Revised August 2008 
 

In the course of research, laboratory animals may be dosed with toxic Chemicals, including chemotherapeutic agents and other hazardous Drugs. This SOP guideline addresses procedures for performing animal caretaking safely after the animals have been dosed.  For guidance on preparing, handling, and administering the agents, please refer to Duke’s Chemical Hygiene Plan (section 2 of the Lab Safety Manual), the SOP templates for hazardous Chemicals, and the Guide for Developing an SOP for the Use of Hazardous Drugs. For additional help, contact the OESO-Occupational Hygiene and Safety Division at 684-5996. 
 

The animals may excrete toxic chemicals or toxic metabolites of these Chemicals, particularly during the first 48 hours after dosing. Most of the time, the toxic material or its metabolites would present a hazard in particulate form. The precautions outlined below will protect employees in these situations. For volatile toxic materials, or materials that are toxic at extremely low doses, additional precautions would be necessary.  
 

These procedures must be followed for the first 48 hours after dosing AND until the contaminated bedding is changed. (All bedding used within 48 hours of dosing will be considered contaminated.)  The procedures may need to be modified for animals other than rodents. 
 

NOTIFICATION and SIGNAGE:

When animals are dosed with a toxic Chemical, laboratory workers must label the cage of that animal with the name of the agent, approximate dose, and the date and time of the dose.

• Within the laboratory, this signage can take any form that is recognizable to all laboratory workers.
• For animals housed in DLAR-managed areas:
  • At least two business days prior to dosing the animal, the PI will notify DLAR of the dosing schedule and send a copy of this SOP (with BLANKS on last page FILLED IN) to Randall Reynolds (Randall.Reynolds@duke.edu) and Peg Hogan (Hogan012@mc.duke.edu) by email.
  • When dosed animals are returned to their cages, hazardous agent cage cards (supplied by DLAR) must be placed on each cage, and the “toxic Chemical hazard” sign (last page of this document) must be posted on the door (with dosing and contact information filled in).
• For animals housed in CCIF, the PI will make sure that Cindy O’Neal (cindy.oneal@duke.edu) is aware of the dosing schedule in advance. Cages must be marked in a manner agreed upon by the investigator and Ms. O’Neal. Research staff may be asked to change and/or dump cages with contaminated bedding.
• Note that cages occupied within the first 48 hours after dosing must be marked until the contents have been dumped.

ENGINEERING CONTROLS:

• Cages will be covered with micro-isolator lids and/or will be maintained on a ventilated rack.
• Cages will be opened (including for cage-changing, animal care, or experiment-related reasons) in a ventilated cage changing station, a biological safety cabinet, or a Chemical fume hood.
• Bedding will be dumped in a ventilated dumping station, such as the “Bio Bubble” machines used in several DLAR facilities and the automated system in GSRB II.  If these are not available, a Chemical fume hood can be used.  If no local ventilation controls are available for dumping bedding, an N-95 (or better) respirator must be worn as indicated below, under PPE.

NOTE: autoclaving bedding does not destroy most toxic chemicals and hazardous Drugs and, if the material is volatile, use of the autoclave may increase the potential for employee exposure by creating harmful airborne vapors. Autoclaving bedding before dumping does NOT change the above requirements for ventilation controls while dumping bedding.  
 

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT:

Employees must wear appropriate personal protective equipment for handling animals, cages, and bedding:

• For handling animals and cages: Latex gloves, lab coat (or gown or coveralls) and (if required in the area) shoe covers.
• For dumping contaminated bedding: Nitrile gloves, gown or coveralls (gowns should be closed in front), shoe covers and faceshield (or safety glasses and surgical mask). (Note that surgical mask does not prevent inhalation of contaminants.)
• For working around cages not on ventilated racks or covered with micro-isolator lids, or for changing or dumping cages in areas not protected by the above-mentioned engineering controls: N-95 (or better respirators) will be worn. Note that respirator use requires medical clearance, fit testing, and training.