Hazard

A valid University of Toronto Biosafety Permit is required for all laboratory work which involves the use of potentially hazardous biological agents and materials containing such agents. Working with EHS, DCM has developed standard operating procedures (SOP) for working safely with RG2 pathogens in animal models. The specific precautions for work with your RG2 biological hazard will depend on risk assessment as performed as part of the Biosafety Permit review process overseen by the Institutional Biosafety Committee. These precautions are to be detailed in the relevant Animal Use Protocol so that all staff exposed to the hazard (animal care staff as well as investigative staff) can work safely.

Once the Biosafety Permit has been approved, appropriate training must be completed. Training is to include University of Toronto (EHS) as well as DCM facility specific CL2 instruction. Contact us with any questions.       

All chemical hazards must be listed on your animal use protocol and a procedure approved by EHS and DCM must in place before the start of any work.  The chemical hazard list can be found in SOP 3.10 “Safe Handling of Chemical Hazards”. DCM and EHS have worked diligently to produce a ‘Chemical Hazards in DCM’ list as part of this SOP. The list comprises the chemical hazards on active animal use protocols and provides a quick reference to some of the safety precautions required for working with each chemical. These precautions are to be detailed in the relevant Animal Use Protocol so that all staff exposed to the hazard (animal care staff as well as investigative staff) can work safely.