Semiannual Facility Inspection

OLAW 8th Edition Checklist (685KB)

The Public Health Service [(PHS), PHS policy IV.B.1-8] mandates that the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) inspect the physical facilities, including satellite facilities, study areas, and areas where surgical manipulations are performed, of Saginaw Valley State University animal care and use programs at least once every 6 months. The PHS policies require use of The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (The Guide) and Title 9: Code of Federal Regulations, chapter 1, subchapter A-Animal Welfare, respectively, as standards for evaluation.

A report of the findings of semiannual IACUC facility inspections must be reviewed and approved, minority opinions noted, and deadlines for deficiencies established by the IACUC. A copy of the final report must be provided to the Institutional Official.

Policy Procedure

A.   Timing - Minimum of once every 6 months; May occur independently of semiannual program review.

B.   Inspection team:  Must consist of at least two (2) IACUC members (Animal Welfare Regulations); Participation of Compliance Officer, Director of the Laboratory, and IACUC Coordinator is recommended, when possible. No IACUC member may be excluded should he/she wish to participate.

C.   Checklist - A blank checklist will be used to guide IACUC members during facility inspections and will be reviewed semiannually to ensure compliance with all federal, state, and institutional guidelines.  The checklist will be reviewed semiannually by the IACUC Coordinator with input from the IACUC Chair and the Laboratory Coordinator one month before each scheduled inspection. One week prior to the inspection, the IACUC Coordinator should provide each facility inspection team with a copy of the previous facility inspection findings for reference.

D.   Internal institutional facility inspection reports

Components:  Written draft report of inspection findings compiled by IACUC Coordinator and distributed to IACUC.  Revisions or corrections sent to IACUC Coordinator and revised draft of report distributed to IACUC by the next IACUC meeting. 

Deficiencies identified by the inspection designated as minor or significant in the draft report. Proposed correction dates for items in both categories, reached in consultation with the Lab Director, included.  The report must describe the institution's adherence to the following federal guidelines and identify any deviations from them: Animal Welfare Regulations; PHS Policy; The Guide.  Minority views, if any, will be included in the final report.

IACUC-approved report forwarded to IO within one month of inspection. 

Recordkeeping:  Written copy of final report forwarded to IO; Final report kept on file for a minimum of 3 years.  Annual reports to OLAW are filed by January 31 of the year following the reporting year and include the dates of facility inspections. Significant deficiencies (defined as those that may be a threat to animal health or safety) discovered during facility inspections must be reported promptly to the appropriate agencies and funding units.

E.   Compliance monitoring

The Laboratory Coordinator will report deficiency corrections to the IACUC Coordinator who will forward an updated deficiency correction log to the IACUC until all deficiencies are corrected.  Inability to meet significant deficiency correction deadlines within specified timeline must be communicated by the IACUC through the IO to appropriate regulatory and funding agencies.