Canadian Council on Animal Care guidelines on: laboratory animal facilities — characteristics, design and development This document, the CCAC guidelines on: laboratory animal facilities — characteristics, design and development, has been developed by Drs David Neil and Donald McKay with the collaboration of the CCAC Facilities Standards Subcommittee: Dr Laurence Schofield, Department of National Defence (Chair) Dr Michèle Bailey, Cornell University Mr Richard Bélanger, Ottawa Health Research Institute Dr Sandra Fry, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Dr Martin Kirk, University of Calgary Dr Donald McKay, University of Alberta Dr David Neil, University of Alberta Dr Elizabeth Rohonczy, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Dr Gilles Demers, Canadian Council on Animal Care Dr Gilly Griffin, Canadian Council on Animal Care In addition, the CCAC is grateful to those individuals and organizations that provided comments on earlier drafts of this guidelines document. © Canadian Council on Animal Care, 2003 REVISION DATE: May 2020 ISBN: 0–919087–41–8 Canadian Council on Animal Care 1510–130 Albert Street Ottawa ON CANADA K1P 5G4 http://www.ccac.ca CCAC guidelines on: laboratory animal facilities — characteristics, design and development, 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS A. PREFACE . .1 3.16 Laundry facilities . .31 3.17 Toilets . .31 SUMMARY OF THE GUIDELINES 3.18 Staff break and meeting room(s) . .31 LISTED IN THIS DOCUMENT . .3 3.19 Mechanical and electrical space and distribution of services . .31 B. INTRODUCTION . .13 3.20 Corridors . .32 3.21 Barriers . .33 C. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A 3.22 Radiation shielded suites . .37 LABORATORY ANIMAL 4. Functional Adjacencies . .38 FACILITY . .15 4.1 Personnel facilities . .38 1. Functional Imperatives of the 4.2 Animal holding rooms . .40 Overall Facility . .15 4.3 Procedure rooms . .40 2. Location . .16 4.4 Surgical suite . .41 3. Basic Components of an 4.5 Cage and equipment washing Animal Facility . .17 and sterilization . .41 3.1 Animal holding rooms . .17 4.6 Clean cage and equipment 3.2 Procedure rooms . .18 storage . .42 3.3 Surgery . .21 4.7 Clean and dirty loading docks . .42 3.4 Clean and dirty loading docks . .22 4.8 Animal reception area(s) . .42 3.5 Animal reception area(s) . .22 4.9 Feed and bedding storage . .43 3.6 Feed and bedding storage . .23 4.10 Waste storage . .43 3.7 Waste storage . .23 4.11 Necropsy area . .43 3.8 Waste elimination . .23 4.12 Mechanical services . .43 3.9 Cage and equipment washing 4.13 Corridors . .44 and sterilization . .25 5. Traffic Flow Patterns . .45 3.10 Clean cage and equipment 6. Materials and Finishes . .47 storage . .27 6.1 Walls . .47 3.11 Sterilization . .27 6.2 Floors . .47 3.12 Janitorial closets . .28 6.3 Ceilings . .48 3.13 Necropsy . .29 6.4 Doors . .48 3.14 Personnel office and reception 6.5 Windows . .49 area . .30 6.6 Cabinets and other fixed 3.15 Personnel changing rooms . .30 equipment . .49 7. Plumbing . .50 2.4 Mechanical systems . .79 7.1 Drinking water . .50 2.5 Detailed design . .79 7.2 Animal holding rooms . .51 3. Construction . .80 7.3 Procedure rooms . .51 4. Commissioning . .80 7.4 Personnel areas . .52 7.5 Cagewash and sterilization E. REFERENCES . .81 areas . .52 8. Electrical . .52 F. BIBLIOGRAPHY . .82 8.1 Electrical outlets . .52 8.2 Equipment . .53 8.3 Light fixtures . .53 G. GLOSSARY . .83 8.4 Monitoring and communication . .53 8.5 Emergency power . .53 H. ABBREVIATIONS . .84 9. Environmental Monitoring Systems . .53 10. Security . .54 APPENDIX A 11. Safety Equipment . .54 SUMMARY OF RELEVANT 12. Environment . .54 GUIDELINES . .85 12.1 Sound . .55 12.2 Light . .56 APPENDIX B 12.3 Heating, ventilation and air EXAMPLES OF DETAILED SPACE conditioning (HVAC) . .59 DESCRIPTIONS . .86 13. Redundancy . .68 APPENDIX D. THE PROCESS FOR THE C A SIMPLIFIED EXAMPLE OF PLANNING, DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A PRELIMINARY SIZE ESTIMATION LABORATORY ANIMAL FOR AN ANIMAL FACILITY . .93 FACILITY . .71 APPENDIX 1. Programming . .71 D TRAFFIC FLOW PATTERNS . .10 1.1 Information gathering and 0 communication . .73 1.2 Estimating the size and scope APPENDIX E of project . .74 HEAT PRODUCTION . .104 1.3 Integrating the program . .76 2. Design . .78 2.1 Conceptual design . .78 2.2 Preliminary floor plans . .78 2.3 Graphic test . .79 ii LIST OF DIAGRAMS Diagram 1: Diagram 11: Conventional rodent room . .18 Barrier system . .36 Diagram 2: Diagram 12: Conventional dog pen room . .19 Flexible barriers — U shaped corridor . .36 Diagram 3: Rodent holding room with Diagram 13: single-sided ventilated racks . .20 Flexible barriers — double corridor . .37 Diagram 4: Rodent room with double-sided Diagram 14: ventilated racks, entrance anteroom Functional adjacencies — and integral procedure room . .20 entrance . .39 Diagram 15: Diagram 5: Functional adjacencies — Procedure anterooms . .21 animal holding . .40 Diagram 6: Diagram 16: Key components of a surgical Functional adjacencies — suite . .22 surgery suite . .41 Diagram 7: Diagram 17: Key components of a cagewash Functional adjacencies — area . .25 cagewash . .42 Diagram 8: Diagram 18: Key components of a necropsy Functional adjacencies — suite . .29 clean dock . .43 Diagram 9: Diagram 19: Possible locations for mechanical Functional adjacencies — services . .32 dirty dock . .44 Diagram 10: Diagram 20: Barrier challenges . .34 Clean/dirty corridor system . .45 iii Diagram 21: Diagram 30: Traffic flow in a conceptual Ventilated cage — positive animal facility . .46 pressure . .67 Diagram 22: Diagram 31: Recessed hose bib detail . .51 Ventilated rack — negative pressure . .67 Diagram 23: Flushing drain pipe . .52 Diagram 32: Ventilated cage — negative Diagram 24: Light mounting for interstitial pressure . .68 space servicing . .58 Diagram 33: Diagram 25: Ventilated rack — positive/ Exhaust filter detail . .62 negative pressure . .68 Diagram 26: Diagram 34: Differential pressure — Ventilated cage with cascade effect . .63 scavenging system . .69 Diagram 27: Diagram 35: Differential pressure — Dual HVAC system . .70 air barrier effect . .64 Diagram 36: Diagram 28a): Conceptual floor plan . .79 One-sided intake and exhaust . .65 Diagram 37: Preliminary floor plan . .80 Diagram 28b): Central intake and exhaust . .65 Diagram I: Conventional rodent room . .87 Diagram 28c): High intake/low exhaust . .65 Diagram II: Diagram 28d): Rodent room with double-sided Mass air displacement . .65 ventilated racks . .89 Diagram 29: Diagram III: Ventilated rack — positive Rodent room with single-sided pressure . .66 ventilated racks . .89 iv laboratory animal facilities — characteristics, design and development A. PREFACE The Canadian Council on Animal Care been developed by Drs David Neil and (CCAC) is responsible for overseeing animal Donald McKay, University of Alberta, with use in research, teaching and testing. In addi- the collaboration of the CCAC Facilities Stan- tion to the Guide to the Care and Use of Experi- dards Subcommittee. These guidelines con- nd mental Animals, vol. 1, 2 ed. (1993) and vol. 2 centrate on the characteristics of a laboratory (1984), which lay down general principles for animal facility and hence do not cover all sub- the care and use of animals, CCAC also pub- lishes guidelines on issues of current and ject matter discussed in the Guide to the Care emerging concerns (http://www.ccac.ca). The and Use of Experimental Animals, vol. 1, Chap- CCAC guidelines on: laboratory animal facilities ters II and III (CCAC, 1993). The relevant sec- — characteristics, design and development is the tions of the Guide should be consulted for seventh document in this series, and has areas not covered by these guidelines. ccac guidelines 2 SUMMARY OF THE GUIDELINES LISTED IN THIS DOCUMENT C. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A General Guideline G: LABORATORY ANIMAL FACILITY Designated area(s) should be available within all laboratory animal facilities to carry out laboratory animal facilities — characteristics, design and development, 2003 1. Functional Imperatives of the animal procedures. Overall Facility p. 15 General Guideline A: General Guideline H: Laboratory animal facilities must be designed Adequate storage should be available for all to facilitate sanitation processes. cages and equipment not in current use. p. 15 p. 15 General Guideline I: General Guideline B: Clean activities and dirty activities should be Materials and finishes should be durable, segregated within the facility to reduce the impervious, and resistant to water and chem- potential for cross-contamination. icals used in their sanitation. p. 16 p. 15 General Guideline C: 2. Location Appropriately-sized sanitation and, if re- Guideline 1: quired, sterilization equipment (e.g., cage washers and autoclaves) must be available to Laboratory animal facilities should be located accommodate the needs of the facility. to facilitate the receipt of animals and sup- plies, as well as the removal of wastes, and p. 15 should be accessible to users. p. 16 General Guideline D: Good quality air at the appropriate tempera- Guideline 2: ture and humidity levels must be available to Laboratory animal facilities should be located the animals at all times. to preclude both public access and the need for movement of animals and dirty cages p. 15 through public areas. p. 16 General Guideline E: Security systems that limit access to author- Guideline 3: ized individuals only must be in place. Laboratory animal facilities must have access p. 15 to reliable services, including water, electricity and sewage disposal. General Guideline F: p. 16 Groups of animals of different or unknown Guideline.