Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals - Office of ...

PhySICAL PLANT 151tion should be provided to prevent moisture buildup on room surfaces andmaintain suitable temperatures for the species housed.SECURITy AND ACCESS CONTROLRecent episodes of domestic terrorism have heightened awareness ofthe importance of animal facility security, but there are other reasons whysecurity and access control should be provided. Most animals maintainedfor research are vulnerable to infection with adventitious agents and thereforeaccess to them should be strictly controlled and made available onlyto personnel who have received appropriate training and have a legitimateneed for access. Animals used in studies with hazardous materials requirespecial precautions for personnel before access, and staff entering the animalfacility should have completed the institution’s occupational health andsafety training.When possible, the animal facility should be located within anotherstructure with its own independent set of security features. Vehicular accessshould be limited and, when provided, controlled and monitored.Security and access control are generally provided in zones, starting atthe perimeter with areas of highest security located within other zones. Controlmeasures may consist of security personnel, physical barriers, and controldevices. The scope of the security system should depend on the size of thefacility as well as the nature of the activities conducted within. Increasingly,access control is extended from the facility’s perimeter to each animal holdingroom. Microprocessor-controlled security systems are frequently employedbecause of the large number of control points and staff requiring access.These systems typically use electronic key or proximity cards and associatedreaders, which, in addition to controlling access, enable recording of the time,location, and personal identification of each entry. In more sensitive areas,biometric reading devices such as thumb or palm readers or retinal scannersmay be more suitable because key cards can be shared. Security may beenhanced with electronic and video surveillance systems. These systems maybe monitored by personnel or motion-activated recording devices.REFERENCESACME, ASTMH [American Committee of Medical Entomology, American Society of TropicalMedicine and Hygiene]. 2003. Arthropod Containment Guidelines. Vector-Borne ZoonoticDis 3:61-98.AORN [Association of Operating Room Nurses]. 1993. Recommended practices: Traffic patternsin the surgical suite. AORN J 57:730.