UF Animal Contact Safety & Occupational Health Program

Protecting the health and safety of UF employees working with animals

1. Program Overview

Welcome to the UF Animal Contact Occupational Health Program—your central resource for meeting health and safety requirements when working with animals at the University of Florida. This program supports compliance with institutional, IACUC, and federal safety standards to ensure the well-being of UF faculty and staff.

2. Who Must Participate

UF employees must enroll if they:

• Work directly with live animals (handling, care, procedures)
• Handle animal tissues, fluids, or waste
• Work in areas where animals are housed (e.g., vivarium, labs)
• Are listed on an IACUC protocol

Exemptions:
Visitors or staff with incidental contact may be exempt but must still review the Animal Contact Handbook and consult with EH&S if pregnant, immunocompromised, or allergic to animals.

3. Enrollment & Medical Clearance Process

        Step 1: Submit a Risk Assessment Form

• • Standard Risk Assessment Form (PDF)
  • Vet Med-Specific Risk Assessment Form (PDF)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        To enroll or renew participation in the program, applicants must:

• Complete the Risk Assessment Form for Animal Contact. If you work at the College of Veterinary Medicine, you will use the Vet Med Specific Risk Assessment Form.
• If selecting options 1 for Type of Animal Contact, submit the form to Occupational Health at EH&S by clicking on the Submit link on the first page of the form. If selecting options 2, or 3 for Type of Animal Contact, submit the form directly to the Shands Occupational Medicine Clinic by clicking the “submit” link at the bottom of the third page.
• If you are a new employee and need to be cleared for other job requirements, you will have your initial animal contact clearance performed at our third-party vendor, CareSpot.
• For animal contact renewals, or if you are new and the animal contact is the only requirement for your position, you may work with the Shands Occupational Health Clinic on campus. Your department will need to submit the payment authorization.

       Step 2: Attend a Medical Appointment

• • New employees: Schedule an initial clearance at CareSpot (requires UF authorization form).
  • Current employees (renewals/updates): Visit the UF Occupational Medicine Clinic.
  • Submit updated risk assessments every 3 years or sooner if:
    • You work with new species or in new environments
    • Your personal health status changes (e.g., pregnancy, immunosuppression)

4. Health Requirements for Animal Contact

Depending on your exposure level and job duties, you may be required to:

• Be up to date on your tetanus vaccination (within 10 years)
• Have a completed rabies vaccination series or positive titer
• Complete TB screening if working with non-human primates
• Provide a Q-fever titer (if handling sheep/goats/cattle)
• Participate in serum banking (as applicable)

5. Workplace Safety & Training

All employees working with animals must:

• Complete initial and annual training on zoonotic disease risks, animal allergens, injury prevention, PPE use, and hygiene protocols
• Follow established SOPs and safety procedures for animal handling and research
• Report all incidents or injuries promptly to EH&S and your supervisor

6. Support & Medical Oversight

This program is jointly managed by:

• UF Occupational Health Coordinator at Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) – Program administration, risk assessment oversight
• UF Occupational Medicine Clinic – Medical evaluations, renewals, guidance
• CareSpot – New hire clearances

Need help? Contact:

• EH&S Occupational Health Coordinator: (352) 392-1591
• UF Occupational Medicine Clinic: (352) 294-5700
• Email: occmed@ehs.ufl.edu 

7. Resources & Downloads

• Animal Contact Risk Assessment Forms
• Animal Contact Handbook: Allergens & Zoonoses
• Occupational Medicine Forms and Instructions
• Animal Contact Safety Training (via UF Learn)

8. Quick Links

• IACUC Training & Protocols
• Biosafety & Lab Safety
• EH&S Main Website
• UF HR New Hire Safety Checklist
• Emergency Medical Response Info

Whether you’re in research, veterinary services, or facility support, the UF Animal Contact Program is here to protect your health and promote a safe campus for everyone working with animals.

If you have additional questions on animal research safety, please click here.