Animal Shelter Safety Manual

What Should an Animal Shelter Safety Manual Include?

The contents of an Animal Shelter Safety Manual should reflect the organization’s actual operations and occupational hazards.

Depending on operations, the manual may address:

• Animal shelter safety responsibilities.
• Hazard assessments.
• Safety inspections.
• Animal handling and restraint.
• Aggressive and unpredictable animals.
• Bite and scratch prevention.
• Rabies exposure.
• Zoonotic diseases.
• Infection control.
• Animal intake.
• Kennel and cage safety.
• Animal isolation and quarantine areas.
• Needlestick and sharps safety.
• Veterinary activities when applicable.
• Euthanasia activities when applicable.
• Hazardous drugs when applicable.
• Animal allergens.
• Noise.
• Cleaning and disinfection.
• Hazard Communication.
• Personal Protective Equipment.
• Respiratory Protection when required.
• Manual lifting and ergonomics.
• Animal transport.
• Animal Control activities when applicable.
• Outdoor work.
• Heat and cold exposure.
• Volunteers.
• Emergency and disaster response.

Programs should be selected according to the animals handled, employee duties, veterinary services, facility operations, and actual workplace hazards.

Animal Shelter Safety Program

An effective Animal Shelter Safety Program establishes responsibilities and procedures for identifying hazards, preventing employee injuries and illnesses, safely handling animals, controlling occupational exposures, and responding to emergencies.

Management should provide employees with appropriate facilities, animal-handling equipment, engineering controls, PPE, training, communication systems, staffing resources, and other controls necessary to perform assigned work safely.

Managers, supervisors, and designated safety personnel should:

• Identify workplace hazards.
• Evaluate animal-handling risks.
• Maintain applicable written safety programs.
• Establish safe animal-handling procedures.
• Provide appropriate restraint equipment.
• Provide required PPE.
• Maintain equipment and facilities.
• Conduct safety inspections.
• Correct unsafe conditions.
• Investigate occupational injuries and exposures.
• Provide employee training.
• Coordinate safety requirements for volunteers.
• Maintain applicable records.

Employees should follow established procedures, use required controls and PPE, recognize changing animal behavior, obtain assistance when necessary, and promptly report unsafe conditions, injuries, bites, scratches, exposures, equipment defects, and other workplace hazards.

Animal Shelter Hazard Assessments

Hazard assessments should consider employee job classifications, tasks, work areas, animals, equipment, chemicals, and environmental conditions.

Potential hazards may include:

• Animal bites.
• Scratches.
• Kicks.
• Crushing injuries.
• Aggressive animals.
• Zoonotic diseases.
• Rabies.
• Needles and sharps.
• Hazardous drugs.
• Animal allergens.
• Cleaning chemicals.
• Disinfectants.
• Pesticides.
• Noise.
• Manual lifting.
• Slippery floors.
• Outdoor hazards.
• Vehicle operations.

Assessments should be reviewed when services, animals, equipment, chemicals, work practices, or other conditions change significantly.

Animal Shelter Safety Inspections

Periodic workplace inspections may include:

• Animal intake areas.
• Kennels.
• Cages.
• Cat rooms.
• Isolation areas.
• Quarantine areas.
• Veterinary treatment areas.
• Adoption areas.
• Exercise areas.
• Cleaning and sanitation areas.
• Chemical storage.
• Food storage.
• Laundry.
• Animal transport vehicles.
• Outdoor areas.
• Employee work areas.

Identified deficiencies should be documented and corrected in a timely manner.

Animal Handling and Restraint

Animal handling is one of the primary occupational hazards in animal shelters.

Employees may handle animals that are:

• Frightened.
• Injured.
• Sick.
• Aggressive.
• Territorial.
• Poorly socialized.
• Unfamiliar with human handling.
• Of unknown behavioral history.

Only employees and other personnel with appropriate training should perform animal-handling activities within the limits of their training and responsibilities.

Understanding Animal Behavior

Employees should receive training appropriate to the species they handle and learn to recognize behavior that may indicate fear, stress, aggression, or defensive behavior.

Potential warning signs may include:

• Growling.
• Hissing.
• Baring teeth.
• Lunging.
• Snapping.
• Defensive posture.
• Attempting to escape.
• Sudden freezing.
• Guarding behavior.
• Other species-specific warning signals.

Employees should not assume that an animal that previously appeared calm will remain predictable.

Pre-Handling Assessment

Before handling an animal, employees should consider available information concerning:

• Species.
• Size.
• Behavior.
• Injury.
• Illness.
• Vaccination status.
• Previous bite history.
• Known triggers.
• Required restraint.

Employees should select an appropriate handling method before beginning whenever practical.

Animal Intake Safety

Animal intake can create elevated risk because the shelter may have limited information about the animal.

Intake procedures should address:

• Initial behavioral observation.
• Safe transfer from vehicles or carriers.
• Appropriate leashes or restraint equipment.
• Separating animals.
• Bite and scratch prevention.
• Employee positioning.
• Obtaining assistance.
• Isolation when necessary.

Employees should avoid unnecessary close contact until the animal can be appropriately evaluated.

Unknown or Unpredictable Animals

Animals with unknown histories should be approached cautiously.

Employees should not place themselves between an animal and the only available exit or in other positions where withdrawal would be difficult.

Additional personnel or specialized restraint equipment should be used when appropriate.

Aggressive Animals

Procedures should establish how employees respond to animals displaying aggressive behavior.

Depending on circumstances, employees may need to:

• Stop the activity.
• Maintain distance.
• Secure the area.
• Obtain additional personnel.
• Use appropriate restraint equipment.
• Notify a supervisor.
• Seek assistance from personnel with greater animal-handling experience.

Employees should not take unnecessary risks merely to complete a routine task.

Animal Restraint

Restraint methods should be appropriate for:

• Species.
• Size.
• Physical condition.
• Behavior.
• Procedure being performed.

Employees should use the least hazardous effective method appropriate to the situation.

Improvised restraint methods that unnecessarily increase the risk of employee injury should be avoided.

Restraint Equipment

Depending on operations, equipment may include:

• Leashes.
• Slip leads.
• Harnesses.
• Muzzles.
• Towels.
• Blankets.
• Cat-handling equipment.
• Carriers.
• Kennel dividers.
• Other approved restraint devices.

Employees should receive training before using specialized equipment.

Animal Transfer Between Employees

Employees transferring control of an animal should clearly communicate relevant safety information.

Information may include:

• Aggressive behavior.
• Bite history.
• Escape attempts.
• Medical condition.
• Handling restrictions.
• Required equipment.

Employees should confirm that the receiving person has control before releasing the animal.

Bite and Scratch Prevention

Animal bites and scratches can cause puncture wounds, lacerations, infections, and potential exposure to zoonotic diseases.

Employees should use appropriate handling techniques and PPE and should obtain assistance when animal behavior or size makes a task unsafe to perform alone.

Bite and Scratch Response

Employees who are bitten or scratched should:

• Stop the activity when safe to do so.
• Wash the affected area promptly.
• Report the incident.
• Obtain appropriate medical evaluation.
• Follow applicable rabies-exposure procedures.
• Monitor the injury for signs of infection.

Significant injuries should be evaluated promptly.

Bite Incident Investigation

Animal-related injuries should be evaluated to identify contributing factors.

The evaluation may consider:

• Animal behavior.
• Known history.
• Activity being performed.
• Restraint method.
• Employee positioning.
• Staffing.
• Equipment.
• Facility design.
• Previous incidents.

Corrective actions may include changes to handling procedures, equipment, training, housing, communication, or staffing.

Rabies Exposure

Animal shelter and Animal Control employees may encounter animals whose rabies status is unknown.

The shelter should establish procedures for potential occupational rabies exposure consistent with applicable public-health requirements and medical guidance.

Potential exposure can occur through:

• Bites.
• Scratches contaminated with infectious saliva.
• Saliva contacting broken skin.
• Saliva or potentially infectious material contacting mucous membranes.

Employees should promptly report potential exposures.

Rabies Pre-Exposure Vaccination

Employees whose occupational duties create sufficient rabies exposure risk should be evaluated for appropriate rabies pre-exposure vaccination according to current public-health recommendations.

The need for vaccination should reflect employee duties and exposure risk.

Rabies Post-Exposure Response

Potential rabies exposures should receive prompt medical evaluation.

Employees should not attempt to determine on their own whether post-exposure treatment is necessary.

Where possible and consistent with applicable requirements, information concerning the animal involved should be preserved for appropriate public-health evaluation.

Zoonotic Disease Exposure Control

Animal shelter employees may be exposed to diseases that can spread between animals and humans.

Potential exposure routes may include:

• Bites.
• Scratches.
• Saliva.
• Urine.
• Feces.
• Blood.
• Respiratory secretions.
• Contaminated surfaces.
• Aerosols.
• Direct animal contact.

The shelter should maintain infection-control procedures appropriate to the species housed and services provided.

Animal Isolation

Animals suspected or known to have contagious conditions should be managed according to established facility procedures.

Isolation procedures may address:

• Access restrictions.
• PPE.
• Dedicated equipment.
• Cleaning.
• Waste.
• Hand hygiene.
• Animal movement.
• Signage or identification.

Employees should understand required precautions before entering isolation areas.

Hand Hygiene

Employees should wash their hands appropriately:

• After handling animals.
• After contact with animal waste.
• After cleaning cages or kennels.
• After removing gloves.
• Before eating or drinking.
• Before leaving work areas when appropriate.

Handwashing facilities should be readily accessible where needed.

Eating and Drinking

Eating, drinking, applying cosmetics, and similar activities should be restricted from work areas where contamination could expose employees to biological or chemical hazards.

Employees should use designated break areas.

Contaminated Work Clothing

Employees should avoid carrying significant biological or chemical contamination from animal-care areas into personal vehicles or homes.

Where appropriate, procedures should address:

• Protective clothing.
• Changing areas.
• Laundry.
• Storage of work clothing.
• Contaminated footwear.

Animal Waste

Employees may handle feces, urine, vomit, bedding, litter, and other animal waste.

Procedures should address:

• PPE.
• Hand hygiene.
• Cleaning.
• Disposal.
• Spill response.
• Avoiding unnecessary aerosol generation.

Employees should promptly report unusual exposures or symptoms of illness.

Kennel and Cage Safety

Kennels, cages, runs, gates, doors, and animal-housing equipment should be maintained in safe condition.

Potential hazards include:

• Damaged latches.
• Sharp edges.
• Broken wire.
• Pinch points.
• Animal escape.
• Slippery floors.
• Damaged gates.

Defects should be reported and corrected.

Entering Kennels

Employees should assess the animal and kennel before entering.

Considerations may include:

• Animal location.
• Behavior.
• Escape routes.
• Other animals.
• Available restraint.
• Floor condition.
• Door operation.

Employees should avoid entering confined kennel areas with aggressive animals when safer handling methods are available.

Kennel Doors and Gates

Employees should confirm that doors, gates, and latches are secure after moving animals.

Unsecured doors can result in animal escape, employee injury, animal fights, or emergency capture activities.

Animal Escape Response

The shelter should maintain procedures for escaped animals.

Employees should understand:

• Communication procedures.
• Area control.
• Door and gate security.
• Appropriate capture equipment.
• When to obtain additional assistance.

Employees should avoid reckless pursuit that creates additional risk.

Cleaning and Disinfection

Animal shelters require frequent cleaning and disinfection of kennels, cages, floors, equipment, and other surfaces.

Employees may be exposed to:

• Cleaning chemicals.
• Disinfectants.
• Animal waste.
• Aerosols.
• Wet floors.
• Ergonomic stress.

Cleaning procedures should address both infection control and employee safety.

Cleaning Occupied Kennels

Employees should avoid unnecessary exposure to animals while cleaning occupied kennels.

Where feasible, animals should be safely separated from the cleaning area before work begins.

Employees should maintain control of doors, gates, hoses, chemicals, and cleaning equipment.

Chemical Mixing

Cleaning and disinfecting chemicals should be mixed only according to manufacturer instructions and workplace procedures.

Employees should not combine products unless specifically authorized.

Incompatible chemicals can generate dangerous gases or other hazardous reactions.

Chemical Dilution Systems

Automatic dilution or dispensing systems should be maintained in safe operating condition.

Employees should report:

• Leaks.
• Damaged hoses.
• Incorrect concentrations.
• Malfunctioning dispensers.
• Missing labels.

Employees should not bypass chemical dispensing controls without authorization.

Hazard Communication

Animal shelters using hazardous chemicals should maintain an applicable Hazard Communication Program.

The program should address:

• Chemical inventories.
• Safety Data Sheets.
• Container labeling.
• Employee training.
• Non-routine tasks.
• Chemical hazards.

Employees should know how to obtain hazard information before using a product.

Safety Data Sheets

Safety Data Sheets should be readily accessible to employees.

Employees should use SDS information when evaluating:

• Health hazards.
• PPE.
• Ventilation.
• Storage.
• Spill response.
• First aid.
• Chemical incompatibilities.

Pesticides — When Applicable

Animal shelters may use pesticides for fleas, ticks, insects, rodents, or other pests.

Employees should follow:

• Product labeling.
• Application instructions.
• PPE requirements.
• Storage requirements.
• Re-entry restrictions where applicable.

Only appropriately authorized personnel should apply restricted products.

Needlestick and Sharps Safety

Shelter employees involved in veterinary care may encounter:

• Needles.
• Syringes.
• Scalpels.
• Lancets.
• Broken medical equipment.
• Other sharps.

Sharps procedures should address safe handling and disposal.

Needle Handling

Employees should avoid unnecessary recapping, bending, breaking, or manipulation of used needles.

Used needles should be promptly placed into appropriate sharps containers.

Employees should never reach blindly into containers or waste where sharps may be present.

Sharps Containers

Sharps containers should be:

• Puncture resistant.
• Appropriately identified.
• Accessible.
• Maintained upright.
• Replaced before overfilling.

Containers should be located where employees can dispose of sharps without unnecessary handling.

Needlestick Response

Needlestick and other sharps injuries should be immediately reported.

Employees should obtain appropriate medical evaluation based on the substance, animal, medication, biological material, and circumstances involved.

Veterinary Activities — When Applicable

Shelters that provide veterinary services should evaluate the occupational hazards associated with those activities.

Potential hazards may include:

• Animal restraint.
• Sharps.
• Medications.
• Hazardous drugs.
• Anesthetic gases.
• Radiation.
• Chemicals.
• Biological materials.
• Surgical procedures.

Appropriate veterinary safety procedures should supplement general shelter procedures.

Hazardous Drugs — When Applicable

Some veterinary medications may present occupational hazards to employees.

The shelter should identify hazardous medications used and establish appropriate controls based on:

• Drug hazards.
• Formulation.
• Preparation.
• Administration.
• Animal restraint.
• Spill potential.
• Waste.

Employees should use appropriate engineering controls, work practices, and PPE.

Euthanasia Activities — When Applicable

Shelters performing animal euthanasia should maintain procedures addressing employee safety during the process.

Potential hazards may include:

• Animal handling and restraint.
• Needles and sharps.
• Hazardous medications.
• Chemical exposure.
• Ergonomic stress.
• Emotional stress.
• Controlled access to medications.

Only appropriately trained and authorized personnel should perform assigned euthanasia activities.

Euthanasia Drug Handling

Euthanasia drugs should be:

• Stored securely.
• Accessed only by authorized personnel.
• Handled according to applicable procedures.
• Protected against spills and unauthorized use.

Employees should receive appropriate training concerning the hazards of the products they handle.

Animal Handling During Euthanasia

Employees should evaluate the animal’s behavior and condition before beginning.

Additional personnel or restraint methods should be used when necessary to reduce the risk of bites, scratches, needlesticks, or other injuries.

Anesthetic Gas Exposure — When Applicable

Shelters using inhaled anesthetic agents should evaluate employee exposure.

Potential controls may include:

• Scavenging systems.
• Equipment inspection.
• Leak detection.
• Ventilation.
• Equipment maintenance.
• Appropriate work practices.

Ionizing Radiation — When Applicable

Shelters operating veterinary X-ray equipment should maintain appropriate radiation-safety procedures.

Controls may include:

• Time.
• Distance.
• Shielding.
• Restricted access.
• Protective equipment.
• Dosimetry where required.

Employees should not manually restrain animals during radiographic procedures when safer alternatives are feasible.

Animal Allergens

Employees may be exposed to animal proteins from:

• Hair.
• Fur.
• Dander.
• Saliva.
• Urine.
• Bedding.

Repeated exposure can contribute to allergic symptoms or occupational asthma in susceptible employees.

Potential controls may include:

• Ventilation.
• Cleaning methods.
• PPE.
• Hand hygiene.
• Work-practice controls.

Employees should report persistent work-related respiratory or allergic symptoms.

Noise Exposure

Animal shelters can be extremely noisy, particularly in enclosed kennel areas with barking dogs.

The shelter should evaluate employee noise exposure where conditions indicate potentially hazardous levels.

Potential controls may include:

• Facility design.
• Sound-absorbing materials.
• Animal-housing practices.
• Equipment maintenance.
• Limiting unnecessary exposure.
• Hearing protection.

Hearing Conservation — When Required

Where employee noise exposure reaches applicable OSHA thresholds, required Hearing Conservation measures should be implemented.

These may include:

• Noise monitoring.
• Audiometric testing.
• Hearing protection.
• Training.
• Recordkeeping.

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE should be selected according to the hazards employees encounter.

Depending on assigned duties, PPE may include:

• Examination gloves.
• Heavy-duty work gloves.
• Bite-resistant or specialized protective equipment where appropriate.
• Eye protection.
• Face protection.
• Protective clothing.
• Aprons.
• Protective footwear.
• Hearing protection.
• Respiratory protection.

PPE should supplement rather than replace safer animal-handling methods and engineering controls.

Eye and Face Protection

Eye or face protection may be appropriate where employees can be exposed to:

• Animal secretions.
• Chemical splash.
• Cleaning operations.
• Flying debris.
• Other splash or particle hazards.

The protection selected should match the hazard.

Hand Protection

Gloves should be selected according to the task.

Different gloves may be necessary for:

• Animal waste.
• Chemicals.
• Animal handling.
• Cleaning.
• Veterinary procedures.

Employees should understand the limitations of the gloves provided.

Protective Footwear

Animal shelter employees may work on wet floors and may be exposed to bites, scratches, dropped objects, or other hazards.

Footwear should be appropriate for the work and provide suitable traction.

Respiratory Protection — When Required

Where respirators are required for occupational hazards, the shelter should maintain an appropriate Respiratory Protection Program.

Applicable elements may include:

• Hazard evaluation.
• Respirator selection.
• Medical evaluation.
• Fit testing.
• Training.
• Inspection.
• Maintenance.
• Program evaluation.

Slips, Trips and Falls

Water, animal waste, cleaning operations, hoses, leashes, bowls, bedding, and equipment can create slip and trip hazards.

Employees should:

• Correct spills promptly.
• Control hoses and cords.
• Keep aisles clear.
• Maintain appropriate footwear.
• Report damaged walking surfaces.

Wet Kennel Floors

Kennel cleaning frequently creates wet walking surfaces.

Cleaning procedures should minimize unnecessary slip hazards and prevent employees from being trapped between an animal and a slippery exit route.

Manual Lifting and Material Handling

Animal shelter employees may lift or move:

• Animals.
• Carriers.
• Food bags.
• Litter.
• Bedding.
• Waste.
• Supplies.
• Equipment.

Mechanical assistance or team lifting should be used when appropriate.

Lifting Animals

Animals can move unpredictably while being lifted.

Before lifting, employees should consider:

• Animal weight.
• Size.
• Behavior.
• Injury.
• Ability to assist.
• Available equipment.
• Need for additional employees.

Employees should avoid manually lifting animals that cannot be safely controlled.

Animal Stretchers and Transport Aids

Stretchers, carts, carriers, and other devices should be used where appropriate to reduce manual handling.

Employees should receive training before using specialized animal-moving equipment.

Ergonomics

Repetitive animal care and shelter operations may expose employees to ergonomic stress.

Potential activities include:

• Lifting animals.
• Cleaning kennels.
• Bending.
• Reaching.
• Handling food bags.
• Moving cages.
• Laundry.
• Computer work.

Equipment and work practices should be evaluated to reduce unnecessary physical strain.

Laundry Safety

Shelter laundry may contain:

• Animal hair.
• Urine.
• Feces.
• Blood.
• Cleaning chemicals.
• Other contamination.

Employees should use appropriate PPE and minimize unnecessary handling or agitation of contaminated laundry.

Washers, dryers, and other equipment should be maintained in safe condition.

Animal Food and Supply Storage

Animal food, litter, bedding, and supplies should be stored to reduce hazards involving:

• Manual lifting.
• Falling materials.
• Pests.
• Blocked aisles.
• Unstable stacking.

Heavy materials should be stored where employees can handle them safely.

Animal Transport Safety

Shelter employees may transport animals between:

• Shelter facilities.
• Veterinary clinics.
• Adoption events.
• Foster homes.
• Other organizations.
• Animal pickup locations.

Transport procedures should protect both employees and animals.

Securing Animals in Vehicles

Animals should be appropriately contained or restrained during transport.

Potential methods include:

• Carriers.
• Crates.
• Secured compartments.
• Other appropriate containment systems.

Loose animals should not interfere with vehicle operation.

Loading and Unloading Animals

Employees should consider animal behavior and traffic conditions before opening carriers, compartments, or vehicle doors.

Leashes, carriers, or other controls should be prepared before releasing an animal.

Driver Safety

Employees operating vehicles should follow established driver-safety procedures.

Drivers should:

• Wear seat belts.
• Avoid distracted driving.
• Secure animals and equipment.
• Follow traffic laws.
• Consider weather and road conditions.
• Avoid driving when dangerously fatigued.

Animal Control Activities — When Applicable

Shelters that perform or support Animal Control activities may expose employees to hazards beyond those encountered inside the shelter.

Potential hazards include:

• Aggressive animals.
• Unknown animals.
• Traffic.
• Private property.
• Outdoor conditions.
• Stray animals.
• Wildlife.
• Difficult terrain.
• Members of the public.

Animal Control employees should receive specialized training appropriate to their duties.

Field Animal Capture

Before attempting capture, employees should evaluate:

• Species.
• Animal behavior.
• Location.
• Traffic.
• Escape routes.
• Bystanders.
• Available equipment.
• Need for additional personnel.

Employees should not attempt captures that exceed their training or available equipment.

Traffic Hazards

Animal Control employees may work near roads, parking areas, and moving vehicles.

Employees should:

• Position vehicles safely.
• Remain alert to traffic.
• Use appropriate high-visibility protection where necessary.
• Avoid entering traffic lanes unnecessarily.

Public Interaction

Animal Control and shelter employees may encounter angry, distressed, or confrontational members of the public.

Procedures should address:

• Communication.
• Maintaining personal space.
• Obtaining assistance.
• Workplace violence.
• Law-enforcement assistance when necessary.

Employees should not unnecessarily place themselves in physical confrontations.

Outdoor Work

Employees performing animal care, exercise, transport, groundskeeping, or Animal Control activities may be exposed to outdoor hazards.

Potential hazards include:

• Heat.
• Cold.
• Sun exposure.
• Severe weather.
• Insects.
• Ticks.
• Wildlife.
• Uneven terrain.

Appropriate procedures should reflect local conditions and employee duties.

Heat Stress Prevention

Employees working outdoors or in hot indoor areas should receive appropriate protection from heat-related hazards.

Controls may include:

• Drinking water.
• Rest breaks.
• Shade or cooling.
• Acclimatization.
• Work scheduling.
• Employee monitoring.

Employees should understand signs and symptoms of heat illness.

Cold Stress

Employees working outdoors during cold conditions should use appropriate clothing and work practices.

Procedures should consider:

• Temperature.
• Wind.
• Wet conditions.
• Work duration.
• Employee condition.

Insects and Ticks

Employees working outdoors may be exposed to mosquitoes, ticks, stinging insects, and other pests.

Employees should receive information appropriate to local hazards and use suitable protective measures.

Emergency and Disaster Response

Animal shelters may participate in emergencies involving:

• Wildfires.
• Floods.
• Severe storms.
• Earthquakes.
• Evacuations.
• Large numbers of displaced animals.

Emergency planning should consider both employee protection and animal-care responsibilities.

Displaced Animals

Displaced animals may be frightened, injured, poorly socialized, or of unknown health and vaccination status.

Only appropriately trained and equipped personnel should perform direct animal handling.

Emergency conditions should not be used as a reason to disregard normal animal-handling precautions.

Emergency Animal Intake

Large-scale animal intake can create:

• Crowding.
• Increased noise.
• Increased bite risk.
• Zoonotic disease exposure.
• Manual-handling demands.
• Fatigue.
• Supply shortages.

Emergency procedures should address staffing, animal separation, PPE, sanitation, communication, and employee rest.

Emergency Action Plan

The shelter should maintain an Emergency Action Plan appropriate to its facility and operations.

Potential emergencies may include:

• Fire.
• Severe weather.
• Power failure.
• Chemical release.
• Animal escape.
• Workplace violence.
• Natural disaster.
• Other conditions requiring evacuation or shelter.

Employees should understand alarms, evacuation routes, communication methods, and assigned responsibilities.

Animal Evacuation and Employee Safety

Emergency plans should establish how employees will manage animals during evacuation.

Planning should consider:

• Carriers.
• Leashes.
• Animal identification.
• Aggressive animals.
• Isolation animals.
• Evacuation routes.
• Assembly or relocation areas.
• Employee accountability.

Employees should not unnecessarily risk serious injury attempting to remove an animal from an immediately dangerous condition.

Fire Prevention

Fire-prevention procedures should address:

• Electrical equipment.
• Laundry equipment.
• Heating equipment.
• Flammable chemicals.
• Oxygen or medical gases where used.
• Storage.
• Maintenance activities.

Exit routes and fire-protection equipment should remain accessible.

Workplace Violence Prevention

Animal shelter employees may encounter violence or threats from members of the public, animal owners, visitors, or other persons.

Potential risk factors may include:

• Animal surrender disputes.
• Enforcement activities.
• Euthanasia decisions.
• Adoption disputes.
• Emotional situations.
• After-hours work.
• Handling money.
• Working alone.

Procedures should address recognizing threats, obtaining assistance, maintaining escape routes, reporting incidents, and contacting law enforcement when necessary.

Working Alone

Employees who work alone or in isolated shelter areas may face increased risk during:

• Animal handling.
• Aggressive-animal encounters.
• Veterinary activities.
• Public interactions.
• Emergency situations.

The shelter should consider practical communication and assistance procedures for lone workers.

Volunteer Safety

Animal shelters frequently rely on volunteers who may have varying levels of animal-handling experience.

Volunteers should receive safety information and training appropriate to the tasks they are permitted to perform.

Volunteer procedures should clearly establish:

• Authorized tasks.
• Restricted activities.
• Animal-handling limitations.
• PPE.
• Injury reporting.
• Emergency procedures.
• Supervision.

Volunteer Animal Handling

Volunteers should handle only animals and perform only activities for which they have been trained and authorized.

Animals requiring specialized handling should be clearly identified or otherwise controlled according to shelter procedures.

Contractor Safety

Contractors performing maintenance, pest control, construction, or other work should receive information concerning relevant shelter hazards.

Coordination may address:

• Animal areas.
• Secured doors.
• Chemical hazards.
• Noise.
• Electrical work.
• Hot work.
• Emergency procedures.

Contractors should not enter restricted animal areas without authorization.

First Aid and Employee Injuries

Employees should promptly report occupational injuries and illnesses.

Potential incidents may include:

• Bites.
• Scratches.
• Needlesticks.
• Chemical exposures.
• Strains and sprains.
• Falls.
• Allergic reactions.
• Zoonotic disease exposures.

Prompt reporting allows appropriate medical evaluation and helps identify hazards requiring corrective action.

Incident Investigation

Occupational injuries, animal escapes, chemical spills, significant exposures, and near misses should be evaluated as appropriate.

Investigations should identify:

• Immediate causes.
• Contributing factors.
• Root causes.
• Corrective actions.

Corrective actions may involve animal-handling methods, equipment, staffing, facility design, procedures, PPE, training, or other controls.

Animal Shelter Employee Safety Training

Training should reflect assigned duties and occupational exposures.

Depending on responsibilities, training may address:

• Animal behavior.
• Animal handling and restraint.
• Aggressive animals.
• Bite and scratch prevention.
• Rabies.
• Zoonotic diseases.
• Infection control.
• Sharps.
• Hazardous drugs.
• Cleaning chemicals.
• PPE.
• Noise.
• Manual lifting.
• Animal transport.
• Emergency procedures.

Employees should receive task-specific training before independently performing higher-risk work.

New Employee Safety Orientation

New employees should receive safety orientation before independently performing assigned duties.

Orientation may address:

• General shelter hazards.
• Animal handling.
• Bite prevention.
• Injury reporting.
• Infection control.
• PPE.
• Chemical safety.
• Emergency procedures.
• Restricted activities.

Additional training should be provided according to job responsibilities.

Job Safety Analysis (JSA/JHA)

Animal shelters may use JSAs/JHAs for tasks where a step-by-step hazard evaluation can improve employee protection.

Potential JSAs/JHAs may include:

• Animal intake.
• Aggressive-animal handling.
• Kennel cleaning.
• Animal lifting.
• Animal transport.
• Veterinary procedures.
• Euthanasia activities.
• Chemical handling.
• Field animal capture.
• Emergency animal evacuation.

Animal Shelter Safety Meetings

Periodic safety meetings can reinforce safe work practices and address current workplace concerns.

Potential topics include:

• Animal handling.
• Bite prevention.
• Rabies.
• Zoonotic diseases.
• Sharps safety.
• Kennel cleaning.
• Chemical safety.
• Noise.
• Lifting.
• Workplace violence.
• Emergency response.

Recordkeeping

Animal shelters should maintain occupational safety and health records required for their operations.

Records may include:

• Employee training.
• Injury and illness records.
• Bite and scratch incidents.
• Sharps injuries.
• Exposure incidents.
• Safety inspections.
• Equipment inspections.
• Respiratory Protection records.
• Noise monitoring.
• Incident investigations.

Employee medical and exposure records should be maintained according to applicable requirements.

Additional Safety Programs

Depending on shelter operations and employee exposures, additional safety programs may be necessary for:

• Animal Handling & Restraint.
• Zoonotic Disease Exposure Control.
• Rabies Exposure Prevention.
• Needlestick & Sharps Safety.
• Infectious Disease Exposure Control.
• Hazard Communication.
• Chemical Safety.
• Hazardous Drugs.
• Personal Protective Equipment.
• Eye & Face Protection.
• Hand Protection.
• Respiratory Protection.
• Hearing Conservation.
• Ergonomics.
• Manual Lifting & Material Handling.
• Slips, Trips & Falls.
• Walking-Working Surfaces.
• Housekeeping.
• Vehicle Safety.
• Driver Safety & Defensive Driving.
• Heat Stress Prevention.
• Cold Stress.
• Working Alone.
• Workplace Violence Prevention.
• Workplace Security.
• Emergency Action Plan.
• Fire Prevention.
• First Aid.
• Spill Prevention & Response.
• Hazardous Waste Management.
• Subcontractor Management.

Programs should be included when the animals, employee duties, veterinary activities, equipment, chemicals, environmental conditions, and workplace exposures make them applicable.

Building an Animal Shelter Safety Manual

A useful Animal Shelter Safety Manual should reflect the actual work performed rather than simply adapting a Veterinary Safety Manual.

A small cat and dog rescue may require a different combination of programs than a large municipal shelter that performs animal intake, quarantine, veterinary treatment, euthanasia, Animal Control, field capture, transport, emergency response, and large-scale disaster sheltering.

The manual should consider:

• Species handled.
• Animal behavior.
• Intake procedures.
• Animal restraint.
• Bite and scratch exposure.
• Rabies risk.
• Zoonotic diseases.
• Veterinary activities.
• Kennel operations.
• Cleaning and disinfection.
• Animal transport.
• Volunteers.
• Animal Control duties.
• Emergency response.

Selecting programs according to actual hazards creates a comprehensive manual without filling it with procedures unrelated to the organization’s operations.

Customized Animal Shelter Safety Manuals

An Animal Shelter Safety Manual can be developed around the organization’s species, intake operations, animal-handling procedures, kennels, veterinary services, zoonotic-disease exposures, chemicals, employees, volunteers, Animal Control activities, transport operations, and other occupational hazards.

The finished manual may incorporate applicable programs for Animal Handling and Restraint, Zoonotic Disease Exposure Control, Rabies Exposure Prevention, Needlestick and Sharps Safety, Hazard Communication, Chemical Safety, Hazardous Drugs, PPE, Respiratory Protection, Hearing Conservation, Ergonomics, Vehicle Safety, Working Alone, Workplace Violence Prevention, Emergency Action Planning, and other hazards present within the operation.

This provides animal shelters, humane societies, rescue organizations, and municipal animal-care facilities with a practical safety manual organized around the work their employees actually perform.