Access to Animal Research Facilities and Visitor Policy

Last updated and approved by Dr. Michael Huerkamp, Director, DAR on 07/23/2014

Facility Access

Animal research facility access by default is granted 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The minimum qualifications for access to an animal research facility by Emory employees are:

1. To be engaged in valid scientific research or education missions of the university.
2. To be listed on an IACUC-approved protocol.
3. To attend orientation by the Division of Animal Resources.
4. To be issued a DAR card key.
5. To be oriented on-site to the applicable animal research familities.

Orientation: Didactic orientation is provided weekly starting promptly at 1:30PM on Tuesdays in room G02E (DAR conference room) of the Whitehead Biomedical Research Building. To attend this course you will need to register through the Emory Learning Management System using activity code 265000. Please arrive in the lobby by 1:15 p.m. to obtain your badge prior to the orientation. There are no late arrivals admitted to the DAR Orientation. You must bring a copy of the PI's IACUC approval letter (Letter must contain your name) and a completed card access form (see below) to the orientation and to be issued a card key. Persons of faculty rank authorize their own access and do not require the authorization of a superior. Individuals that are not members of the faculty must be authorized by a responsible, qualifying faculty member or service program director. IACUC documentation must be provided listing the animal user(s) on the PI's approved protocol. IACUC Email for needed documentation. Oriented persons have 5 business days (excluding holidays) to follow-up with the animal research facility supervisor for on-site facility orientation in order to maintain permanent access.

Registration for the orientation lecture is now through the Emory Learning Management system (ELMS) via Peoplesoft. Once you have logged in, choose "search the catalog" and then choose "all". Enter the key word 'orientation'. The course should appear with an activity code of 265000-xxxx and you can select which date you wish to enroll.

Alternate training arrangements may be made for students with demonstrated academic schedule conflicts or health care providers with patient care responsibilities. You can schedule an alternate training session by emailing darit@emory.edu. Your email should include a copy of your IACUC approval letter and a completed card access form (see below). If you are a student requesting an alternative session because of your class schedule, you must also include a scanned copy of your class schedule.

DAR Photo Identification Security Badges: Badges will be issued after successfully completing the DAR didactic orientation. The documentation required for badge preparation and issue are identical with those for facility orientation (see above).

Card Access / Room Key Request

Card keys for animal research facility access are non-transferable from one individual to another and may not be shared. Failure to comply with this policy risks loss of access to the animal research facilities and reporting of incidents of noncompliance to the IACUC.

Lost card keys must be reported immediately to the DAR so that facility security is maintained by deactivation of the card key. Replacement card keys can be obtained at the DAR office (G02 WBRB) during the business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, Monday through Friday.

Card keys are deactivated after an extended period of non-use. Reactivation of disabled card keys requires didactic and facility re-orientation

Adding Additional Facilitiy Access: If research needs require access to additional facilities, submit a revised, properly signed and endorsed card key access form to the DAR. In the event that transfer to a different lab or like conditions have resulted in a change in the responsible faculty member, the card key access form must be accompanied by a copy of the investigator�s IACUC approval letter with your name listed as approved.

Building Exterior Door Access: The DAR card keys cannot be used to access general building entry doors, only doors enabling immediate entry to an animal research facility. The Emory Clinic maintenance coordinator authorizes access to enter patient care buildings containing animal research facilities. The Facilities Management lock shop enables access to general research buildings. Detailed information on this subject is provided during DAR orientation. If your card key is lost, misplaced or left elsewhere and you are locked-out of the DAR facilities and you are not a DAR employee, it is the responsibility of the party that authorized your facility access in the first place (i.e., ordinarily the responsible faculty member) to intervene in this situation. The DAR does not staff or provide a 24-hour, facility access emergency response capability.

Guests and Visitors

Guests of faculty conducting research approved by the IACUC may be admitted to the animal research facilities at the discretion of a faculty member providing they are under the direct supervision of the sponsoring faculty member or the sponsor's responsible, qualified designee. Visitors, except as addressed specifically below, are not permitted to have hands-on contact with animals, may only observe, and are expected to adhere to all Emory requirements, rules and policies related to animal research. Visitors are defined to include Emory personnel who have not met the qualifications for admittance to the animal research facilities or guests from outside of our university community including volunteers and students engaged in non-catalog educational activities. Visitors must be at least 16 years of age and may not have access to non-human primates, biocontainment areas, VAF rodent housing areas, the HSRB animal research facility, or projects involving chemical, radiological infectious or other known hazards without special training and authorization of the appropriate university oversight committee and the DAR Director or the Director's qualified designee. Hands-on contact with animals is only permitted for persons credentialed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee or under specific circumstances documented and approved in the "Other Personnel Associated with Protocol" section of the IACUC protocol form.

Minimal Attire

Persons working in the animal research facilities minimally must wear shirt/blouse, slacks and closed-toe shoes (sandals, flip-flops and open-toed shoes are not allowed).

Persons entering animal rooms or procedural areas must additionally wear a solid-front gown, buttoned lab coat or equivalent outer garment. Gloves must be worn if handling animals, their cages, food, bedding, water, or waste.

Safety practices and personal protective equipment for nonhuman primates, biohazards, radioisotopes, or toxic chemicals are provided during specific training and are posted on room doors.