Animals and Working with Animals

Where the University works with animals, including fish, birds and insects, there will often be a need to obtain prior ethical approval ( and Ethics Governance) and have in place suitable measures to safeguard the animal, people and the environment. Specific information on is available from the College of Science and Engineering intranet.

In some cases there will also be a need for enhanced risk assessments for biological risks, and further details can be found HERE. Where there is a potential significant risk to humans from working with animals, be this physical injury or risk to health, including zoonosis, then a risk assessment must also be undertaken, and where appropriate training provided.

Working with animals

Where animals are present for work purposes there is often legislative control, outside of health & safety, over the activity involved. Most work that involves keeping of animals, whether in an agricultural, veterinary or laboratory settings will require registration with various enforcing authorities and agencies, such as the Home Office. All relevant authorisations and permissions must be obtained prior to certain work commencing LINK.

Key health & safety risks of working with animals may include:

  • Physical injury during animal handling.
  • Transmission of zoonotic disease from animals to humans.
  • Allergic reaction to animal proteins, danders or dusts.

Appropriate housing and animal handling facilities are required and all animal handlers must be trained, as appropriate, in effective and safe handling techniques and in the handling of waste materials. Risk assessments (LINK) identifying foreseeable risks, including those indicated above, must also be in place wherever there is a risk to humans or the environment. All staff who come into contact with animals must, as applicable, be instructed in the risk of zoonotic disease and of the risk and symptoms of animal allergies and should be instructed to report these conditions should they occur.

Health Surveillance

An evaluation may be required on whether routine health surveillance or pre-employment medicals are appropriate for staff working with certain animals or animal materials. Advice on health risks and surveillance should be sought in the first instance from the University Health Surveillance Guide and the H&S Manager at the College of Science and Engineering. If your work requires health surveillance then this will be considered a compulsory aspect of the job.

Human health risk from animals includes exposure to animal fur, feathers, dander, dried urine and saliva dusts that arise through animal handling and cage or enclosure cleaning, and dusts that arise from these contain proteins 'animal aeroallergens' that may cause occupational asthma. In some cases, spores from old used animal bedding can also pose a risk to human health. Due to possible respiratory sensitisation of being exposed to these aspects Health Surveillance may be necessary for regular handling and direct contact with certain live animals, such as:

a. Rats and mice;

b. Pigeons and pigeon waste;

c. and, for those who regularly clean cages of animals and handle used animal bedding.

Note: Work with animal tissue and work with aquatic animals does not require surveillance.

Other information

Specific and tailored safety information for working with animals can be found at:

  • Athropods: there is a really valuable guide produced by the Institute of Safety in Technology & Research (ISTR) which is available .
  • Advice issued to pregnant women during lambing season
  • Farm health and safety
  • Livestock: HSE guides to working with cattle
  • Bovine TB
  • Use of veterinary medicines
  • Health and safety in agriculture
  • Poultry dust

Assistance Dogs

If a person wishes to regularly bring a Trained Assistance Dog into premises then arrangements will be made to support this and where appropriate to provide suitable toileting facilities for the animal, either close to a Hall of Residence of place of work. For students they are asked to discuss needs with or their academic school liaison and for staff to discuss with their Line Manager in the first instance.