Allergy against Laboratory animals

Everyone visiting the Animal Department must follow the dress code to protect themselves and their surroundings from allergens

When you reach the lock in the Animal Department and go to the rodents:    

• When working with animals, change to blue / white pants and tops that you find in the wardrobe    
• You should use either your own shoes - only for use in the Animal facility - or use shoe covers
• When you go to Animal rooms or laboratories and work directly with the Animals    
• Respirators / Dust Mask (with P2 filter) protects your respiratory tract and also protects the animals against drip contamination from you.    
• Hair nets pick up allergens from urine and epithelium, so you avoid bringing them home.    
• Gloves protect you from allergens in urine.    
• Coats prevent you from carrying allergens around the ward.    
• Own shoes or shoe covers for use only in the Animal Department protect you from entering the ward and bring you out of the ward.

Dress code big animals

When you reach the sluice in the Animal Department and go to the pigs:    

• Change to green trousers and tops that you find in the wardrobe    
• You should use either your own shoes - only for use in the Animal Department - or use shoe covers    
• If you are only to visit the opera halls without direct contact with the animals, use green overcoat

The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority says "Personal protective equipment must be used when satisfactory protection of the employee's safety, health and welfare cannot be achieved by technical installations at the workplace or by changes in working methods or work processes."

The life of a disposable dust mask with a P2 filter depends entirely on the concentration of the contaminant in the breathing zone of the employee.

• Low Allergens Concentration: During surgery, or other work tasks that do not include debris / cleaning of cages, the amount of allergen in the air will be so low that a disposable dust mask can be used over a full working day.
• High concentration of allergens: When changing animals in open boxes, emptying dirt litter and emptying / washing boxes one is particularly exposed to allergens. If you use disposable P2 dust masks here then they must be discarded after the task is completed and not used for a whole day.

Recommendations on the use of a dust mask    

• Make sure the mask covers well over the nostril (use the metal in the mask and adjust)    
• Place the mask well under the chin    
• If there are adjustable straps, tighten the mask securely    
• If the person is bearded, it can cause the mask to sit badly / not cover well enough    
• Dust masks or other masks to be used several times must be stored in a closed bag outside the area where the exposure is    
• Replaceable filters must be stored in a closed container in an area without exposure.        
• The recommendation is to change filters every two months if the use is normal / high.        
• With little use, the filter can last longer, provided proper storage.    
• If you use a mask with a filter to replace, note the date on the filter for when you put it into use    
• Both dust masks and full / half masks for employees should be personal masks.

More information about Respiratory Protection

Use of fresh-air masks:

• Filters should be replaced every 2. month under normal use*
• If minimal use the can be used longer period assumed the are correctly stored

*Note the date you start to use a filter

Masks should be personal

The University of Bergen has a special health monitoring program for all students and employees who work with animals more than 1 hour per week or 40 hours per year.

See here  for more inforamtion about health checks at UiB

Reduction of allergene exposure

Exposure to endotoxins and mouse allergenes