Section
2: Worker Protection Plan and Personal Protective Equipment
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Regulation
42 CFR §71.53 (i)
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Standard
Operating Procedure Meeting Regulation
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Note:
In addition to complying with the requirements of this section, an
importer must comply with all relevant federal and state
requirements relating to occupational health and safety.
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Please
verify that you have a written worker protection plan for anyone
whose duties may result in exposure to NHPs, including procedures
for appropriate response measures in the event of an emergency.
An importer must adhere to the plan and SOPs and must ensure that
each worker covered under the plan also adheres to it and all
pertinent SOPs.
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An
importer must contact HHS/CDC immediately by telephone, text, or
email, as specified in the importer's SOP, to report any instance
of a worker exposed to a zoonotic illness and must include
instructions for contacting HHS/CDC in its worker protection
plan. Please describe your procedures to contact CDC.
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Describe
the elements of your worker protection plan that address the
following:
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Procedures
to protect and train transport workers in how to avoid and
respond to zoonotic disease exposures associated with NHPs,
including procedures for appropriate responses in the event of a
vehicle crash or other emergency during transport;
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An
infection-prevention program, including infection-prevention
methods requiring, at a minimum, PPE and workplace practices for
preventing infection among workers whose duties may result in
exposure to NHPs and;
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SOPs
that include requirements for preventing workplace infection from
potentially contaminated needles or other sharp instruments and
that, at a minimum, prohibit workers from recapping used needles
by hand; removing needles by hand; or otherwise bending,
breaking, or manipulating used needles by hand.
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SOPs
requiring that used disposable syringes and needles, scalpel
blades, and other sharp items be placed in puncture-resistant
containers kept as close to the work site as practical and
disinfected and/or disposed of as hazardous waste.
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SOPs
requiring that removable, disposable PPE be autoclaved,
incinerated, or otherwise disposed of as biohazardous waste.
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Nondisposable
clothing worn in the quarantine facility must be disinfected on
site before laundering. Please provide a detailed description of
how quarantine laundry is handled.
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Describe
your infection-prevention program that requires NHP handlers to
cleanse all bites, scratches, and/or mucosal surfaces or abraded
skin exposed to blood or body fluids immediately and thoroughly.
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Describe
your infection-prevention procedures that require workers to
immediately flush their eyes with water for at least 15 minutes
following an exposure of blood or body fluids to the eye.
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Describe
your post-exposure procedures that provide potentially exposed
workers with direct and rapid access to a medical consultant
including:
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Procedures
ensuring that exposed workers have direct and immediate access to
a medical consultant who has been previously identified in the
SOPs to HHS/CDC.
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For
potential exposures to herpes B virus, post-exposure procedures
that require the routing of diagnostic specimens to the National
B Virus Resource Center located at Georgia State University in
Atlanta, Georgia, or another location as specified by HHS/CDC.
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How
do you document worker training, including for those working in
the quarantine facility?
What
is the frequency of quarantine worker training?
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Describe
how your worker protection program addresses hazard evaluation
and worker communication procedures that include the following:
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A
description of the known zoonotic disease and injury hazards
associated with handling NHPs
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The
need for PPE when handling NHPs and training in proper use of
PPE, including re-training and reinforcement of appropriate use
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Procedures
for monitoring workers for signs of zoonotic illness, including
procedures that ensure reporting to HHS/CDC by telephone, text,
or email within 24 hours of the occurrence of illness in any
worker suspected of having a zoonotic disease
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Procedures
for disinfection of garments, supplies, equipment, and waste.
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As
part of your worker protection plan, you must identify the PPE
required for each task or working area. Please describe your
procedures for ensuring the following (be sure to describe in
detail the steps for donning, doffing, and discarding or
disinfecting PPE):
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Any
required PPE must be available to workers when needed
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Workers
in direct contact with NHPs must wear the following
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Gloves
of sufficient thickness to reduce the risk of cuts, scratches,
and punctures
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At
a minimum, disposable NIOSH-approved N95 respirators, in
compliance with OSHA 29
CFR §1910.134,
which requires a respiratory protection program
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Face
shields or eye protection
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Outer
protective clothing when opening crates, removing foreign
materials from crates, feeding NHPs, removing dead NHPs, or
handling bedding materials
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Workers
handling crates or pallets containing NHPs must wear the
following
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Elbow-length,
reinforced leather gloves or equivalent gloves that prevent
penetration of splinters, other crating materials, or debris
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Outer
protective clothing
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Waterproof
shoes or boots
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NIOSH-approved
respiratory protection that is compliant with OSHA regulations at
29
CFR 1910.134
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Face
shields or eye protection
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Workers
whose faces may come within 5 feet of an NHP must wear disposable
NIOSH-approved N95 respirators and either face shields or eye
protection to protect against aerosol or droplet transmission of
pathogens;
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Workers
must remove disposable PPE and discard as a biohazard
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Workers
must not drink, eat, or smoke while physically handling NHPs or
cages, crates, or other materials from such NHPs
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Describe
your procedures for ensuring that each item listed below
regarding tuberculosis (TB) is addressed:
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Workers
in a facility housing NHPs must have a baseline evaluation for TB
prior to working with NHPs and an evaluation at least annually
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Prompt
and direct access to a medical consultant who is capable of
performing the evaluation and maintaining records for such tests
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If
an NHP is found to have laboratory-confirmed TB, any worker who
had previously entered any room where a confirmed NHP has been
housed must promptly undergo a post-exposure TB evaluation and
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If
that test is negative, the worker must undergo another TB
evaluation 3 months later; and
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If
either test is reactive, the worker must be referred for medical
evaluation; and
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The
HHS/CDC must be immediately notified of the results of the
medical evaluation by telephone, text, or email as specified in
the importer's SOPs
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Describe
how you will ensure compliance with exposure-control planning
elements under 29
CFR 1910.1030
for workers who will have parenteral and other contact with blood
or other potentially infectious material from NHPs.
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Describe
how you will ensure compliance with the respiratory protection
requirements in 29
CFR 1910.134.
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For
importation of macaques, an importer must develop, implement and
adhere to a written PPE program to prevent herpes B virus
transmission. The program must be based on a thorough hazard
assessment of all work procedures, potential routes of exposure
(e.g., bites, scratches, or mucosal exposures), and potential
adverse health outcomes. If you intend to import macaques during
the 2-year registration period, please provide a description of
your program addressing herpes B.
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Describe
how you will ensure the following requirements are met:
An
importer must keep records of all serious febrile illnesses
(fever greater than 101.3 degrees Fahrenheit [38.5 degrees
Celsius] for more than 48 hours) in workers having exposure to
NHPs in transit or in quarantine. The record must be kept by the
importer as part of the worker's administrative records.
The
importer must promptly notify HHS/CDC by telephone, text, or
email if such an illness occurs.
An
importer must ensure that the medical consultant providing care
is informed that the patient works with and/or has been exposed
to NHPs.
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Section
3: Crating, Caging, and Transport
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Regulation
42 CFR §71.53 (j)
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Standard
Operating Procedure Meeting Regulation
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Equipment
standards for crating, caging, and transporting live NHPs must be
in accordance with USDA
Animal Welfare
regulation standards (9 CFR parts 1, 2, and 3) and International
Air Transport Association
standards. Additionally, importers must establish, implement,
maintain, and adhere to SOPs that ensure the items listed below
are met. Describe the elements of your SOPs that will ensure the
following:
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Any
crate used to transport NHPs must be free of sharp projections
that could scratch or otherwise injure workers or NHPs
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Glass
items must not be used for feeding or watering NHPs during
transport.
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NHPs
must only be removed from crates in an approved quarantine
facility under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
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NHPs
must not be removed from crates during transport
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Upon
arrival into the United States, only an importer or an authorized
representative may receive the NHPs from a conveyance (e.g.,
airplane, ship). The importer must establish an emergency
contingency plan in the unlikely event they are unable to meet
the shipment.
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All
reusable items must be decontaminated between uses.
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At
all times during transport, crates containing NHPs must be
separated by a physical barrier from workers, other individuals,
and all other animals and cargo, or by a spatial barrier greater
than 5 feet, that prevents contamination of cargo or individuals
with bodily fluids, feces, or soiled bedding.
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At
all times during transport, individuals traveling with the
shipment must be protected from shared air of NHPs to prevent the
transmission of zoonotic diseases. Airflow must be unidirectional
from NHP transport workers to NHPs or, if any air is recirculated
to the NHP transport workers, it must be HEPA-filtered. If a
ventilation system is not in place, all NHP transport workers
must wear respiratory protection.
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If
traveling by plane, crates containing NHPs should be loaded in
the cargo hold last and removed first, must be placed on plastic
that prevents spillage onto the deck of the plane, and must be
placed on pallets or double crated to ensure separation from
other cargo.
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Workers,
as well as NHPs, must be protected from communicable disease
exposures at any facility used en route, including transportation
holding facilities. An importer must maintain a description of
any transportation holding facilities and document the
communicable disease prevention measures taken to protect workers
at facilities used en route
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For
each import, documentation must be made of the communicable
disease-prevention procedures to be carried out in every step of
the chain of custody, from the time of embarkation of the NHPs at
the country of origin until arrival at the quarantine facility.
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Procedures
to ensure that aircraft, ship, vehicles, and related equipment
are decontaminated following transport.
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Used
PPE, bedding, and other potentially contaminated material must be
removed from the ground transport vehicle upon arrival at the
quarantine facility and disposed of as biohazardous waste.
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Section
4: Ground Transport Vehicles
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Regulation
42 CFR §71.53 (k)
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Standard
Operating Procedure Meeting Regulation
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An
importer must establish, implement, maintain, and adhere to SOPs
for ground transport vehicles transporting NHPs that meet the
following requirements. Provide a description of ground transport
vehicles you intend to use for transportation of imported NHPs
under CDC-mandated quarantine. You may also attach diagrams or
photographs.
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Ground
transport vehicles must have a separate cargo compartment with
separate heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems.
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The
interior surfaces of ground transport vehicle cargo compartments
must be of smooth construction, easy to clean and disinfect.
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Ground
transport vehicle cargo compartments must be large enough to
allow safe stowage of NHP crates in a manner that allows ready
access to each NHP during transit without unloading any crates.
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Verify
that used PPE, bedding, and other potentially contaminated
material will be removed from the ground transport vehicle upon
arrival at the quarantine facility and disposed of as
biohazardous waste by a licensed facility.
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Describe
procedures to notify HHS/CDC in writing, text message, or email,
after transport of the NHP shipment from the port of entry to the
quarantine facility. Notification must occur within 48 hours of
the time the shipment arrived at the quarantine facility.
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As
part of the notification of arrival in number five (5) above, an
importer must inform HHS/CDC whether suspected or confirmed
transmission or spread of communicable disease occurred during
transport, including notification of NHPs that died, became ill,
or were injured during transport, or malfunctions associated with
disease-mitigation procedures or equipment. Please describe your
SOPs to ensure this notification occurs.
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