Introduction 

The toxic chemical and health hazard Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for IACUC protocols provided by Health, Safety, and Risk Management (HSRM) is intended as a voluntary resource to provide general guidance on how to work with these materials and to provide a template for laboratories to customize to fit their needs.

The SOP template (linked at the right) should be used for materials with toxic and/or health hazard class(s) that are intended for use in animals housed in Research Animal Resources (RAR) or other housing areas, as part of an IACUC eProtocol. Chemicals listed in the SOP may have other hazard classes associated with them, such as corrosive, flammable, or environmental hazards that are not covered by the SOP. Therefore, it is important that researchers thoroughly read and understand the SDS for each chemical before using it.   

If you have any questions about writing Standard Operating Procedures, chemical safety, hazard assessment, or any other research safety questions, contact your Departmental Safety Officer (DSO) or contact your HSRM Research Safety Professional ([email protected] or (612) 626-6002). 

Instructions

All text in boxes or lines highlighted in yellow are intended for customization by your laboratory. You can add or remove any specific information, best practices, or other lab-specific information you like.

Contact HSRM for guidance if you are unsure if a specific material or procedure requires its own SOP. 

When complete, ensure the SOP is approved by the lab’s PI and added to your lab’s safety manual and annual training. SOPs should be reviewed with all lab members annually and should be reviewed and updated at a minimum of every 3 years.