Laboratory Inspections
- Why am I being inspected?
- When does it occur?
- What to expect at the inspection
- PAM inspections
- AAALAC inspections
Semi-Annual Inspections:
Both the PHS Policy (IV,B,1; IV,B,2) and the AWAR (§2.31,c,1; §2.31,c,2) require the IACUC to inspect animal facilities at intervals of no less than six months.
Only certain activities are considered inspectable (see below). If your room usage has changed (i.e., no longer housing animals for more than 12 hours; instead of Room A12 and B34, all work is now conducted in only Room B34), notify the IACUC Office so that we can remove the use location from the list of inspectable locations. Depending on the change, an Amendment form may need to be submitted.
Semi-annual IACUC inspections generally occur in April and October. Only animal rooms that meet one or more of the following criteria will be inspected:
- Non-University Animal Care (UAC) permanent housing (satellite facility)
- Animal housing for more than 12 hours (in a non-UAC facility)
- Survival surgery
- Gas anesthesia (for surgery or non-surgical procedures such as imaging)
The PI, OSD and protocol contacts will receive an email announcing the inspection approximately three weeks before the date of the inspection. The PI must contact the IACUC Office immediately if the proposed time and/or date is unsuitable. Please note that the IACUC inspectors have a limited time available for the inspection. If at all possible, delegate senior laboratory personnel with good knowledge of the animal protocols to be present during the inspection rather than ask for the inspection to be rescheduled.
What to expect at the inspection
IACUC inspectors will arrive at the animal use location sometime within the inspection window. At least two IACUC inspectors will be present and there may be additional inspectors or observers.
Inspectors will observe the animal use location and will ask questions of the personnel present. Ensure that at least one senior member who is both knowledgeable about and is listed on all the animal protocols is present in the animal use location before the inspection begins. Inspectors may have difficulty locating personnel if they are in offices or other work spaces, which delays the inspection.
Inspectors are required to complete the IACUC Facility Inspection Form during the inspection period. Items that are commonly overlooked by the research staff when preparing for inspection are as follows:
Printed copies of animal protocols
The inspectors will look to see if there is a printed copy of all approved protocols available in the laboratory. Remember to keep a copy of the approval letter and all approved amendments with the protocol document.
A current Animal Hazards Checklist
A completed, initialed and dated Animal Hazards Checklist must be available. If you have a previous Checklist and nothing has changed, it is acceptable to re‑initial and date that Checklist. As long as the date is less than 6 months old, the Checklist is considered current. Blank copies of the Animal Hazards Checklist are available on the IACUC Forms page.
Emergency, weekend and holiday care numbers
These numbers should be posted in a high traffic area, such as the near the lab door. A form that can be completed and taped to the door/wall is available on the IACUC Forms page.
Animal husbandry SOPs and care logs (if the animals are housed for more than 24 hours)
The inspectors will look to see if there are printed copies of animal husbandry SOPs and completed animal care logs available in the laboratory. Sample forms are available on the IACUC Forms page.
Permits for wildlife protocols
Please have these available for inspection. If they are locked in someone's office or in a separate location, please ensure that you have the permit or a copy available at the time of the inspection.
Post-operative analgesia records
If your animal protocol requires palliative therapy following surgery, please ensure that these records are available for inspection. Sample Post-Op Analgesia Log forms are found on the IACUC Forms page.
Controlled substances
Please ensure that keys to access controlled substances are available at the time of the inspection. This includes any keys required to get into offices or other rooms where the drugs are kept. Ensure that all expired drugs are clearly marked and kept separate from the non‑expired drugs (pushed to one side in the same cabinet is acceptable). Ensure that the Controlled Drug Inventory Logbook is up‑to‑date and available for inspection. Sample Controlled Drug forms are found on the IACUC Forms page.
Post Approval Monitoring (PAM) is a program to review IACUC approved protocols to ensure both animal research best practices and institutional regulatory compliance by allowing a more thorough inspection of individual labs and animal related procedures. The PAM monitor works with investigators to facilitate their animal research and to be proactive in identifying potential problems in their compliance with active animal protocols.
PAM is currently under development, however, it is envisaged that PAM monitoring will occur once during the approval period for any animal protocol.
AAALAC inspections occur once every three years as part of the University's Animal Care and Use accreditation. The notification of an AAALAC inspection is similar to that for the IACUC semi-annual inspection and the inspection process is also similar.
The last AAALAC inspection was conducted in February, 2010.