University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
DIVISION OF ANIMAL RESOURCES and
AGRICULTURAL ANIMAL CARE AND USE PROGRAM

PI Responsibilities in Identifying and Training Laboratory Personnel

When submitting an animal use protocol for review, the PI should be sure that three duities are fulfilled in regard to project personnel.

1) The Principal Investigator (PI), as project director, must submit names, training and experience of all personnel involved in experiments, instruction, testing or other procedures described in an animal use protocol. The PI must provide assurance on the animal use protocol that all personnel involved in the projects described are adequately trained to perform all procedures involving animals. The description for each person, including the PI, should include the specific role(s) he or she will perform, and their experience or training with each procedure. In many cases, the PI does not work directly with the animals. He or she must be included, however, so that the IACUC can determine that the PI has the capability of overseeing the project and providing adequate training and guidance.

2) In addition, the PI is responsible for informing all project personnel of the required enrollment in the OHS Program. The IACUC Office will not approve a protocol unless all personnel are enrolled. All participants will receive educational fact sheets concerning their exposure risks. The PI is responsible for providing training for all animal procedures and providing personal protection equipment. To enroll in the program, please to go to the OHS web site at www.research.uiuc.edu/OHS.

All faculty, staff and students with animal exposures have the opportunity to participate in the health screening program. The screening is available at no cost through McKinley Health Center. Enrollment in the screening can be done online at the OHS web site. If you have questions, please contact Michele MacLeod at 333-2711.

The PI will receive information about the hazards that personnel are exposed to, and how to protect themselves, from the IACUC and/or the McKinley Health Center. This information must be provided to all personnel receiving the exposures. In addition, all faculty, staff, and students working with animals and/or animal products on the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign campus, must be offered the opportunity to participate in a medical screening program. The screening is available at no cost. More information and forms may be found at: http://www.iacuc.uiuc.edu/handler_health.html.

Individuals with allergies, or those working with infectious disease organisms, for example, should seriously consider taking part in the surveillance program. McKinley Health Center is providing the screening, and questions may be directed to Ms. Connie Maske at 333-2711.

3) All project personnel whose names are listed on an animal use protocol must be registered in the On-line Training Program for Research Personnel. In order to register, project personnel must complete the questions at the end of this Basic Training Module. If further training is requested by the IACUC, this must be documented before they may participate in an approved protocol.

Principal investigators are strongly encouraged to have all new personnel involved in animal use protocols enroll in the OHS Program and ask them to review the on-line training module and take the quiz as soon as they join the lab. This will prevent delays in protocol approval should they be listed as project personnel. No personnel will be permitted to participate in an animal use protocol until these requirements are met.

4) Communicate to all personnel associated with a protocol when major changes in an experiment occur that affect handling or disposition of the animals, such as infection or treatment.

last updated: June 26, 2007