DAR PPE Policy

Personal protective equipment (PPE) in the framework of operating in general rodent housing areas serves two purposes: 1) To minimize the risk of personal exposure to hazards associated with animal work, e.g. allergens, and 2) To minimize the risk of transmitting adventitious infectious agents throughout animal colonies. While this policy addresses both concerns, the latter is the primary focus.

Purpose: This policy outlines the proper use of gloves and gowns when entering mouse or rat
housing rooms in the Emory University Division of Animal Resources facilities. Note that PPE in
addition to gowns and gloves are required in some specialized housing areas such as
biocontainment, and personnel entering those rooms must meet the posted requirements.

Policy:

1. Housing Room Entry: Gloves and cloth isolation gown must be donned upon entry into
   the room. Lab coats are NOT ALLOWED in housing rooms.
2. Housing Room Exit: Gloves worn while handling animals must be removed and
   discarded. The cloth gown must be either hung in the room or placed in a “Dirty Gown”
   barrel in the hallway. Gowns MUST NOT be worn in hallways.
3. Shared Procedure Rooms: Procedures are the same as those for housing rooms
   EXCEPT that gowns are disposable and must ultimately be discarded. Disposable gowns
   should be re‐used if re‐entering a procedure room multiple times during a day, and
   discarded upon completion of work for the day.
4. Animal and materials transport in hallways: Push carts should be used whenever
   possible to transport animals and caging within the animal facility. Clean gloves may be
   worn to transport soiled materials to dirty cagewash or carcasses to the cooler.
   Donning a lab coat to protect street clothes is recommended.
5. General guidelines and recommendations
   1. Hang only one gown per hook.
   2. Hang cloth gowns for re‐use whenever possible.
   3. In special circumstances where procedure spaces are dedicated to a research
      group, gowns may be transported to and from a housing or procedure room on
      a cart with other materials.
   4. Lab coats, outerwear, bags, and other personal items may be hung on hooks in
      the hallway as needed.
   5. Please contact your building manager to discuss questions or special needs.

Any deviations from this policy must be approved by a DAR faculty or designee.

Created: 04.26.2016