Animal Contact Program FAQs
A: All employees who meet one of the following requirements:
- Listed on an IACUC Protocol
- Routinely working in areas where animals are housed conducting such tasks as cleaning or maintenance duties, and may be in contact with animal blood, tissue, waste, or used animal bedding.
- Conducting procedures or experiments on live animals
- Handle animal waste, carcasses, “unfixed” animal tissues, or body fluid.
- Handle, retain, or collect specimens from, or administer substances to live animals.
Q: Why do I need to complete the animal contact form?
A: Employees who care for and/or have contact with animals in research or non-research capacity face several occupational health and safety risks, including the possibility of allergic reactions, animal-related injuries such as bites or kicks, zoonoses (diseases that spread from animals to humans), and exposure to hazardous materials. NC State EHS manages the animal contact program to protect personnel while also complying with applicable federal and state regulations concerning occupational exposures.
Q: Has the Animal Contact process changed?
A: The program itself has not changed, but the application process has changed from a manual, paper form application to an electronic portal hosted on OnBase. This is necessary for effective program management with the goal of protecting personnel.
Q: What is OnBase?
A: OnBase is an enterprise content management (ECM) platform and content services platform designed to capture, manage, store, and secure content. It functions as a centralized digital filing cabinet and workflow automation tool, allowing NC State to digitize, route, and manage documents, emails, and data.
Q: Do student employees (undergraduates and graduates) also need to go through OnBase?
A: Yes, if they have a valid HR ID.
Q: How are we handling student employees who are unpaid or do not have valid HR ID?
A: Unpaid student employees and those without a valid HR ID may use the paper form that was previously used by all members. (Paper Animal Contact Form). However, all such use must be authorized by EHS. Please contact EHS at Environmental Health Occupational Health if you fall into this category.
Q: What does OHHA mean and why is the Animal Contact Program managed through it?
A: OHHA stands for Occupational Health Hazard Assessment. It is the umbrella term used in reference to several occupational health/medical surveillance services, including but not limited to the animal contact program, respiratory protection program, and hearing conservation program.
Q: What is System Access Request
A: NC State University System Access Request (SAR) is a web-based application used to authorize, modify, or revoke employee access to critical data systems, such as HR, student information (SIS), finance, and document management. It is necessary to ensure data security, comply with privacy policies, and streamline permissions for new hires, role changes, or employee departures.
Note: SAR approval is required for all first-time users accessing the animal contact electronic application.
Q: How do I request SAR?
A: For CVM employees and student employees, supervisors should send an email to [email protected] to request access for themselves and their employees.
For CALS employees/student employees: supervisors/employees must first complete the Information Security & Privacy Acknowledgement (ISPA) form on the MyPark Portal. Then, the employee supervisor (not the employee) should submit a formal ServiceNow request using this link to initiate the next step – https://ncsu.service-now.com/cboportal. Supervisors will be informed by the CALS Business Operations (CBO) when the request is approved.
For all other employees/student employees, please contact your department’s SAR representative – this individual may be the department’s HR personnel, Administrative Staff, and/or Business Officer.
Q: How are we handling current employees who are already a part of the program?
A: We are currently going through active safety plans and active IACUC protocols, reaching out to supervisors/PIs in small batches to have them transitioned to the online platform. If you maintain an active protocol or safety plan and are required to be a part of the Animal Contact Program, you will receive notice at some point in the future to complete the online animal contact form.
Q: Who should be initiating the OHHA once access is granted?
A: Supervisors must initiate the form for their employees
Q: What are the steps to complete the form once the supervisor initiates the form?
A: Follow this short video that walks you through the steps to complete the form, alternatively take a look at the step-by-step instructions
Q: Who should I contact if I have questions about this whole process?
A: You may contact EHS at Environmental Health Occupational Health or call 513-0988