Common Challenges in Safety: A Review and Analysis of AAALAC Findings

The 8th edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide) is clear in its requirement for each institution to establish and maintain an occupational health and safety (OHS) program as an essential part of the overall program of animal care and use. For over 30 years, AAALAC International has utilized a variety of methods to evaluate this component of OHS programs as part of the accreditation process. AAALAC International began collecting data on site visit findings over 20 years ago using the Guide as a template for establishing the categories and subcategories to which findings are assigned. Data from 1656 findings associated with OHS were identified during calendar years 2014 through 2016. This information was used to provide an overview of the most frequently observed OHS findings that occurred during this time span. The 5 categories representing key OHS areas and the combined percentage of both mandatory findings and suggestions for improvement in each category included: workplace risk/safety assessment (37.3%); personnel protection (36.3%); personnel risk assessment (14.4%); hazard containment (9.4%); and medical services (2.6%). Information on the most commonly observed OHS findings and associated trends may be helpful to animal care and use programs when conducting internal reviews of their own OHS programs.