Training: Animal Users

Policy
Federal law requires that the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) make recommendations to the Institutional Official (IO) for the development and administration of animal care and use training programs for all personnel involved in the use of animals in teaching or research. 

Animal users require training in order to ensure that all persons involved in animal care and use are:

• Informed of IACUC and Laboratory policies and procedures regarding animal care and use at Saginaw Valley State University;
• Informed of available resources regarding animal care and use certified by accrediting and oversight agencies;
• Verified to be technically proficient and fully capable of their responsibilities for animal care and use covered under their Animal Use Protocol (AUP); and
• Provided training and offered participation in the risk-based Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) program.

It is the policy of Saginaw Valley State University IACUC to provide and document a comprehensive training program for all animal users.

Procedure
Administrative Responsibility - It is the responsibility of the IACUC Coordinator to: Provide instructions for use of the CITI Online Laboratory Training Courses web training site, and Provide occupational health and safety (OH&S) materials, including a summary of hazards and instructions for OH&S program participation.
Documentation of Training for Research- The Principal Investigator will maintain individual files for all animal users that will include:  Attendance at formal group training sessions; online training; Participation in the OH&S program. All training documents will be made available by the PI to the IACUC, federal regulatory personnel, or any other qualified inspector on demand.
Documentation of Training for Education- The instructor will provide a list of student animal users who completed CITI training and any other training documentation that may include:  Attendance at formal group training sessions; online training; Participation in the OH&S program. All training documents will be made available by the instructor to the IACUC, federal regulatory personnel, or any other qualified inspector on demand.
Training Program for Animal Users and Principal Investigators (PI) Using Laboratory Animals- All laboratory animal users and PIs are required prior to beginning work on an approved AUP to: 
Maintain individual records or provide a list of names of animal user training;
Complete user-specific training module(s) on the CITI training web site (http://www.citiprogram.org) determined by the animal species included on the AUP under which they are working and performing procedures (update online training every 3 years);     
Participate in OH&S Risk Assessment (update every 3 years or more often if warranted by health status);         
Attend one-on-one training with PI for safe and proper use and exit of Lab facilities and for any relevant work-related OH&S training (one- time training or as needed). 
Individual SVSU card access to the animal areas will be granted once online training, risk assessment and one-on-one training are completed.  
Mandatory update of training -  Online species-specific training update every 3 years; OH&S risk assessment update every 3 year (or more often if health status changes)
Non-compliance with training policy - SVSU card access to laboratory animal facilities may be denied or revoked if training is not completed or updated as required.  If online training is not updated as required, the animal user, the PI and the Department Head will be notified by the IACUC Chair that the non-compliant person has 30 days to complete their online training. If training remains incomplete after 30 days, the matter will be discussed at the next scheduled IACUC meeting. The PI and the animal user (if applicable) may be requested to attend the meeting and suspension of the AUP will be considered by the IACUC.