Biosafety: Animal Allergens 101 Triumvirate Environmental presents: Steps You Can Take to Ensure the Safety of Your Employees
Biosafety: Animal Allergens 101
Triumvirate Environmental presents:
Steps You Can Take to Ensure the Safety of Your Employees
Meet Your Moderator
Sasha Laferte
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During This Webinar
Meet Your Presenter
Mark LiffersEH&S Consultant
Triumvirate Environmental
AgendaLaboratory Animal Allergy
Exposure Risks
Controls
Case Studies
Laboratory Animal Allergy (LAA)
Allergic reaction to animals is among the most common conditions that adversely affect pharmaceutical research workers.
Laboratory Animal Allergy (Cont’d)Symptoms:• Nasal symptoms (allergic rhinitis)• Itchy eyes (allergic conjunctivitis)• Rashes (contact urticaria, atopy)
Mouse Allergen
The major mouse allergen is Mus m 1, or mouse urinary protein.
Rat Allergen
Rat n 1 is a known human allergen, protein appears to be in the urine and saliva of the animal.
AgendaLaboratory Animal Allergy
Exposure Risks
Controls
Case Studies
Routes of Exposure
1. Inhalation of aeroallergens
2. Contaminated bedding
3. Direct skin and eye contact
Assessing Potential RiskWhat are “typical” exposures?
What tasks have the highest risk?
Assessing Potential Risk (Cont’d)
Activities most associated with allergen exposure are:• Handling animals and cages with bedding
without ventilation • Manual cage changing • Dumping soiled bedding
Source: Thulin et al British Occupational Hygiene Society, 2002
What is a “Safe” Level?• S. Gordon (formerly IOM) recommended maintaining
exposures at or below 5 ng/m3
-Feasible controls for rodent allergens
-Reduced risk of LAA at this level - study of 458 • Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Standards
recommended a health based OEL-TWA ~ 4.5 ng/m3 • LAA risk reduced but not eliminated; still risk that a small
number of people will develop LAA
Monitoring Can Be UsefulNo OSHA Standard Method for allergens –
BUT…
• Allergens attach to particles and can be hazardous when deposited anywhere in the respiratory tract
• Inhalable and Respirable fraction includes particulate matter that enter the head airways region, including the nose and mouth
IOM Sampler
Labs for Analysis
• DACI (Dermatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology) laboratory at Johns Hopkins
• EMLab P&K• Wisconsin Occupational
Health Laboratory• Call and discuss with the lab!
AgendaLaboratory Animal Allergy
Exposure Risks
Controls
Case Studies
Hierarchy of Controls
• Engineering • Ventilation, substitution, eliminate the hazard
• Safe Work Practices – • Changing the way the work is done or by adding a tool to
help. Remote entry. • Administration –
• Rotating workers more often to reduce exposure times, occupational health program
• PPE • Respirators, gloves, hearing protection, etc.
BEST
WORST
Engineering Controls
• Enclosure• Dilution ventilation • Cage designs • Containment
equipment, such as: • Biosafety cabinets• Cage changing stations• Bedding dump stations
Engineering Controls
Filter Top Cage
Ventilated Cage Rack
BiosafetyCabinet
Cage Charging Station
Administrative & Work Practice Controls
• Reduce time with animal• Reduce density of animals• Good housekeeping practices• Wet mopping in place of vacuuming or sweeping
• Procedures that minimize release of airborne materials
Establishing an Occupational Medical Program for Allergy Surveillance
Job Hazard Analyses
Select Occupational Health Clinic
Develop Occupational Health Questionnaire
Written Occupational Medicine Program
Ongoing Surveillance
Job Hazard AnalysesWho will be included in the allergy surveillance program?
• Animal Husbandry staff• Custodial staff• Researchers• Facilities Group• EH&S• IACUC members
• Outside Service Contractors need to be notified of potential hazards• HVAC• Autoclave• Cagewasher
Lab Animal Handler Questionnaire
• Job title / Description• Hx of work with animals• Tetanus status• Allergies?
• Seasonal• Latex• Animals
• When working with animals do you:• Sneeze, cough• Runny nose• Itchy eyes• Wheeze• Hives• Chest tightness / SOB
• Do symptoms go away when you leave work?
Occ Health Review
• MD evaluates questionnaire
• May request physical exam
• May require PFTs• May suggest
allergy testing• May require
tetanus booster• Will recommend
PPE needed
• May require tetanus booster
• Will recommend PPE needed
• May establish medical restrictions
• Questionnaire should be re-administered annually & if symptoms develop
Reporting & Follow Up• Symptoms should be reported promptly to your supervisor so that
medical follow-up can be initiated• Once animal allergy develops, the affected worker should minimize
any additional allergen exposure to prevent progression of allergy symptoms
Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal
Care International
Personal Protective Equipment
N-95 Respirator for Allergen Protection
Face mask (N-95 Respirator) to reduce inhalation and hand-to-face
spread of allergens
OSHA Respiratory Protection Std.
1910.134
Written Program
Annual Training
Proper Respirator Selection
Medical Clearance
Annual Fit Testing
Must Use Properly to Work! N-95 Respirator
AgendaLaboratory Animal Allergy
Exposure Risks
Controls
Case Studies
Exposure to Laboratory Rats
• 21-year-old female worker at a pharmaceutical company • Symptoms included hives on her forearms and hands• The worker then began to suffer episodes of sneezing, nasal
drainage, watery eyes, and chest tightness• She was transferred to another department, where her
symptoms ceased• The worker had positive skin tests to animal dander and to rat
hair.• She also had elevated antibodies (IgE) to various rat proteins
[DeGroot and Messerschmidt 1984].
Exposure to Various Animals
• 38 students were examined during their first year of training as laboratory technicians (median age was 21 years)
• They were re-examined after working with various laboratory animals (primarily rats, mice, and rabbits) for an average of 18 months
• 9 students (24%) had developed allergies to laboratory animals• Symptoms included: nasal and eye irritation, skin rashes, and chest
problems • Of the 9 students with animal allergies, 7 had reactions to rat or
mouse antigen in skin-prick tests, and 8 showed asthma-like reactions during lung testing [Renstrom et al. 1995]
Wrap Up
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Sources• NIOSH Alert – Preventing Asthma in Animal Handlers
January 1998 DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-116
www.cdc.gov/niosh/animalrt.html
• Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NRC 2011) http://www.aaalac.org/resources/theguide.cfm