C.1 Animal Housing and Holding Areas
C.2 Diagnostic/Pathology
C.3 Animal Surgery
C.4 Pharmacy
C.5 Radiographic Suite and Irradiator Room
C.6 Decontamination and Receiving
C.7 Cagewash
C.8 Animal Research Facility Support
C.9 Animal Caretaker
C.10 Offices and Miscellaneous Areas

C.1 Animal Housing and Holding Areas

Generally, any area where animals are held for more than 24 hours is treated as a holding area. Housing/holding areas are usually located in a defined specific-pathogen free (SPF) zone of the animal facility. See Animal Research Facilities, Section: Programmatic Goals and Objectives, for definitions. However, there are instances where conventional housing is required for “dirty” animals such as a quarantine room or an area of the facility designated for research using non-SPF or “dirty” animals.

In an effort to increase a facility’s flexibility, it is essential to plan for both anticipated and potential species usage and rack and caging type. The animal housing or caging system chosen is one of the most important elements to consider in the planning process. Animal housing and most procedure space should be carefully designed to facilitate animal wellbeing; meet research requirements; minimize experimental variables; and provide isolation from wide temperature and humidity variations, vibration, and noise sources. The caging system should provide adequate space to permit freedom of movement and normal postural adjustments; a comfortable environment; and an escape-proof enclosure that confines animals safely with easy access to food, water, and ventilation. The caging system must also meet the biological needs of animals (e.g., maintenance of body temperature, waste elimination, and reproduction). Ideally, the chosen caging system should (a) be ergonomically friendly, (b) be of proven design and functionality, (c) be durable, (d) maximize available holding space, and (e) be a standard shelf item with readily available replacement parts. All holding rooms must be designed to be easily cleanable and minimize pest harborage. See General Design Guidelines, Section: Pest Management, for additional information. Consideration should be given to providing space to record data and store records and supplies. All caging systems and animal holding rooms must meet or exceed all requirements outlined in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, PHS policy, and animal welfare regulations.

C.1.1 Small-Animal Requirements: Small animals include mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, reptiles, fish, and birds. Each species will have different caging and environment requirements. Each species must be held in separate rooms or cubicles unless, in the case of rodents, ventilated racks are used to house them in order to provide separation of animals at the rack or cage level. Each rodent rack should provide for either bottle or automatic watering systems. Where isolation or quarantine space is required, space should be considered for a separate anteroom or procedure rooms.

A small-animal holding room should be capable of housing different species at different times and in different caging systems. In most situations, holding rooms should not have windows, although the doors may have an observation window or viewport that can be light-tight. If windows are present within an animal holding room, systems must be in place to guarantee that the room’s normal diurnal variation can be maintained. In addition, windows must be designed to preclude the ability to see the animals from outside the building and also to address security issues. Anterooms are optional for all animal holding rooms but should be considered on an as-needed basis for the facility.

Small-animal holding rooms should be located convenient to a central cagewash, but at a minimum they should be separated from the cagewash by a corridor. Likewise, to minimize the impact of noise and vibration, the holding rooms should be separated from mechanical rooms or other noise-generating areas in the facility. This is particularly necessary for barrier areas where genetically sensitive animals are held.

Design features and finishes should be durable and encourage effective sanitation while at the same time be safe for personnel. All surfaces should be water resistant, impact resistant, and skid resistant. Electrical outlets should prevent shock hazards and have moisture-proof covers in areas where moisture is a problem.
Each small-animal holding room shall have a sink with hot and cold water. There should be a place to hang a mop, ideally near the sink in each room. Consideration must be given to the various management styles that may be utilized within each animal holding room. Some husbandry situations may require the use of biological safety cabinets (BSCs) or a laminar flow change hood. The impact of these systems and, in the case of ventilated racking systems, turbomotors must be considered in determining the room’s heat load and air circulation patterns.

C.1.1.1 Rodents: Rodents include mice and rats. Mouse cages may hold up to five mice per cage. Rat cages are larger than mouse cages and can accommodate up to four animals depending on size. Sometimes rats and mice are housed in the same room. Mixing species in a room should be avoided if at all possible. However, if this becomes necessary, ducted ventilated racks or other environment isolation equipment should be used.

Mice and rats are housed in “shoebox” cages that are stacked in racks specifically designed for this purpose. There are numerous caging and racking systems on the market. Racks may be single sided and placed parallel to the room walls or double sided and placed perpendicular to the wall. Room configurations utilizing a combination of the two systems have also been used with success. There are also systems that can be arranged in a “T” formation. The proposed rack layout will determine the projected facility holding capacity. Ideally, the rack arrangement should allow adequate space for a caretaker to roll a cart up to or between the racks for animal transfers and bedding changes and for storing maintenance items that may include feed barrels, mop racks, and trash cans. Consideration should also be given to providing a flexible layout that can accommodate someone with a disability to maneuver between the racks if required. The minimum recommended space between racks is 915 mm. Some animal facility programs may require a BSC or a change station in each holding room to make cage and bedding changes or rodent transfers or to perform minor procedures. The designer should allow room for a changing station in addition to the holding racks when this need is identified in the program. Consideration should be given to the additional heat load provided by change cabinets or ventilated racking systems.

C.1.1.2 Reptiles: Reptiles can be held in modular flexible species holding rooms. Temperature and humidity control are the only special requirements for reptiles. The temperature should range between 20 and 29.5 °C, and the relative humidity should range between 33 and 60 percent. The users should determine whether they want UV light in the room. UV light provides vitamin D to the reptiles.

C.1.1.3 Birds: Birds can be held in modular flexible species holding rooms. The type of bird containment will depend on the species, the study, and the investigator’s requirements. Some birds might be held in cages while other species might require an aviary that mimics their natural environment. Although a drain is not required in a bird holding room, the room cleaning method must be closely reviewed. If the room will be hosed, then the room shall have a drain.

C.1.1.4 Aquatics: Aquatics include fish, sea urchins, and amphibians. The trend in aquatic tank holding rooms for fish is to have a single large room that can hold many tank racks. However, there may be different requirements for other aquatic species. Lighting shall be timer controlled for circadian rhythm studies. Amphibians are sensitive to temperature differences and may require “sunning” areas. Noise and vibration can adversely affect aquatic species and should be controlled or buffered as much as possible.

Water is the life support medium for aquatic species. The water system supporting the various components of the system must be sized properly. A major concern for the designer of an aquatic facility is the water weight. Aquatic holding rooms must be designed to structurally support the load.

Water temperature, quality, pH, degree of hardness, and salinity must be tailored to the specific aquatic species and must be closely monitored to avoid disastrous effects on the population. The levels of ammonia, nitrates, chlorine, dissolved oxygen, and carbon dioxide in the water must also be monitored.

In some cases, a percentage of supply water can recirculate. Recirculation parameters shall be discussed with the user representatives designing the building. The location of pumps and other mechanical equipment associated with the aquatic facility is a critical design feature and should be discussed with experts in the field.

Appropriate filtration should be considered for the removal of particulates and nitrogenous wastes. A flow monitoring system should be incorporated in the system to detect a loss in pressure or decline in water levels. Emergency power should be considered for the pumps and lights in the aquatic facility. Floor drains should be installed in all tank and procedure rooms where aquatic species will be housed. Floor drains are essential, and flood proofing is an important feature to consider in design, especially if the holding tanks are on an upper floor. Floors should be sloped 3 to 10 mm to the drain. Drains should be rustproof and flush with the floor. Consideration should be given to providing some way of trapping and removing debris from the drain opening (i.e., removable basket). Other flood-proofing considerations include putting a small lip and a tight seal sweep at the door base. All ceilings, walls, sills, and floors should be water resistant. All lighting fixtures should be splash resistant. All electrical boxes and conduits should be corrosion resistant and splash resistant. The HVAC system should work in tandem with the water supply system in controlling the room and water temperature. It is important to remember that in order to maintain the desired water temperature, the room temperature may not be ideal for those
who must work in the room.

In order to define space usage in an aquatics facility, the following rules of thumb should be considered. Of the total space allocated for the aquatics area, 10 percent should be the nursery, 15 percent should be procedure space in small rooms off the tank areas, and 5 percent should be for raising aquatic food (i.e., shrimp). Space is also needed for preparation of dry food. Space should be allocated adjacent to the water tank holding rooms for mechanical system components, live food production, supplies, and additional procedure areas. The location of pump rooms should be given special consideration. A shop with storage capacity should be provided for working on equipment. A quarantine area may be required for incoming animals even in a facility that breeds its own study population of animals. The location of the water pumps and recirculation piping will have a major effect on the design of this area. Each aquatic module should include a sink and adequate bench space for procedures and caretaker activities.

An aquatics facility may require easy access to a fume hood because highly carcinogenic and teratogenic chemicals are used to create mutations in fish. A holding area may be required close to the fume hood for short-term holding of fish that have been treated with mutagens. These needs should be discussed with the potential users.

C.1.1.5 Insectary: At the NIH, insects are studied as the carriers (vectors) of transmissible human diseases or for genetic research related to human disease. Examples of insects used at the NIH are mosquitoes, sand flies, and fruit flies. Design requirements may vary for different insect species, but the general concepts for an insect breeding and research lab are the same for all species. The following general design criteria should be addressed
when planning any insectary:

• Temperature and humidity control
• Light control
• Pest management methods
• Use of nonporous materials in construction
• Methods of insect containment
• Species-specific breeding requirements
• Cold storage
• Research/lab supply storage
• Food preparation requirements
• Adjacent research procedure space requirements

A major health and safety concern in an insectary is the inadvertent release of infected or genetically manipulated insects into the environment. Insect containment can be managed by using carefully controlled procedures in a facility that is designed well. Access to the insect barrier shall include a series of sealed, controlled access doors separated by small vestibules containing devices appropriate to trap the species used in the facility. These may include wall-mounted light traps or temperature control devices to produce an environment such that an insect could not survive passage through the space. Mosquitoes are slowed at temperatures between 2 and 10 °C. If a mosquito were to escape the barrier into a cold vestibule, it would drop to the floor and eventually die.

Insect breeding rooms may have a temperature range of between 10 and 28 °C and a relative humidity of 75 percent. Surfaces within breeding rooms should be smooth, nonporous white materials. Ceilings should be low (2.3 m) to allow recapture of escaped insects and ease of cleaning.

Insecticides cannot be used in an insectary to control pests such as cockroaches or ants. Environmental rooms must be designed with tightly sealed, water-tight electrical outlets and fixtures. Drains are not recommended as they can harbor unwanted pests or serve as uncontrolled breeding areas. Doors to the facility should be of solid core construction. Shelving in breeding rooms or insect procedure rooms shall be stainless steel wire open
construction to eliminate any hiding places for contaminating insects or other pests.

Lights in breeding rooms must be provided with timer controls to recreate natural environment conditions that are essential for breeding.

Screened doors shall be used as necessary within insect barrier areas. The screen material and mesh size are important factors to consider. The mesh size will be dependent on the insect species housed in the area. The screen material must be rust resistant and durable.

C.1.2 Rabbits: Rabbits fall in a category between small and large animals. They are considered large animals because their requirements for surgery follow large-animal guidelines. However, rabbits are typically housed in the rodent space of an animal facility. Rabbits are typically housed one per cage. Rabbit racks are designed specifically to hold rabbit cages. A typical rack will hold six to eight rabbit cages. Larger cages are used for breeding. For rabbits weighing up to 4 kg, each rabbit requires 0.28 m² of floor space. For rabbits weighing over 4 kg, each rabbit requires 0.37 m² of floor space. Rabbit cages contain waste pans that must be changed frequently (perhaps three times per week). Rabbits may spray corrosive urine outside their cages. Cleaning requirements for the room and descaling the racks become issues where rabbits are held. Wall and floor surfaces must be very durable and cleanable in rabbit rooms because frequent scrubbing is necessary to remove urine. Consideration should be given to a pre-filter/grid system at the exhaust because frequent filter changes will be required because of a large amount of fur shed. Adequate aisle space has to be allowed for ease in changing out the pans and working with larger breeding cages.

C.1.3 Large Animals: Large animals include nonhuman primates (NHPs), cats, dogs, and farm animals. In the case of some large animals, especially nonhuman primates, consideration should be given to providing natural light, adequate exercise areas, group housing, means for animal communication, and well-equipped play areas with toys, games, and televisions. This must be undertaken without sacrificing safety and may depend upon the nature of the research. Ideally, large-animal holding rooms and activity areas should be designed to provide an enriched, visually complex environment for NHPs and other species where data are available to suggest a benefit.

Since large animals may be noisy, they should be housed away from quieter areas of smallanimal rooms, administration spaces, and research laboratories. In some situations, anterooms are also recommended to minimize the potential of releasing escaped animals into the rest of the colony. Each cage should provide for either bottle or automatic watering systems. Consideration should be given to self-cleaning drains for some species holding rooms. Ideally, dogs, sheep, and pigs should be provided with runs if they are to be held for a long period of time. The size of the run utilized should at a minimum meet the requirements for daily exercise of the animals.

C.1.3.1 Nonhuman Primates: NHPs are categorized as Old World (i.e., macaques, cynomolgus, and baboons) or New World (i.e., marmosets and owl monkeys). There can be great variation in the size of NHPs even within the same species. NHPs may be housed in individual cages, but they also may be paired or group caged. Group housing may be used in some instances for infants or juveniles.

The size of an NHP room must accommodate working safety considerations. Animal caretakers must be able to work within the holding room but be out of reach of the NHPs. Aisle space between the cages will be determined by the species and caging and racking systems. This dimension will exceed 915 mm to prevent the NHPs from reaching a worker who is standing in the middle of the room. Space should be allowed between housing racks and cages to permit maneuverability. This space has an impact on the overall room dimension.

Space in group cages should be enriched with structures such as resting perches, visual barriers, and, when housing some species, shelters. Some species should be provided items for swinging or climbing. NHPs are very social animals. The current philosophy is to provide enrichment areas for them to play and communicate. Enrichment can include providing them with the ability to view movement through windows into the general corridors so that they can see the caretakers or to the exterior of the building. In some circumstances, thick Lexan panels in lieu of traditional caging may be considered in some NHP facilities for enrichment and socialization.

NHPs are noisy, messy, and destructive animals. Therefore, sound attenuation and durable finishes are important considerations in the design process. Exterior windows and holding room door lites must have adjustable shutters or blinds to allow the animal rooms to be light tight if necessary and to aid in the maintenance of normal diurnal variation.

C.1.3.2 Dogs: Dog species used for biomedical research are commonly medium-size breeds such as the beagle, but larger species (e.g., foxhounds) are not uncommon. Dogs are noisy and messy, so sound attenuation and durable finishes are important considerations in the design process. Flush drains are required. Facilities that house dogs may have outdoor runs for enrichment of the animals. Dogs should be able to see other dogs and other movement, so partitions can be of the chain-link variety. Consideration should be given to providing design elements that facilitate socialization of the animals.

C.1.3.3 Farm Animals: Farm animals used for research at NIH include sheep, pigs, goats, and occasionally cattle and horses. Research farm animals may be housed indoors or outdoors. Farm animals are often used to test surgical procedures that require longterm observation of the animals. Preoperative and postoperative holding areas may be required. Indoor facilities must have walls that can withstand the forces these animals can exert on them. Farm animals are noisy and messy, so sound attenuation and finishes are important considerations in the design process. Flush drains or trench drains will be required.

C.1.4 Cubical Housing: Cubicles are small rooms or containment compartments within a larger room or suite of rooms. Cubicle housing may be used for isolating animals of different health statuses, conducting timed day/night studies, separating different species, or providing specialized barrier areas. Cubicles offer the advantage of isolating a small segment of the animal population and permit housing of multiple species in a single room.

Cubicles are particularly useful for quarantining incoming animals and may preclude the need for a separate quarantine room. Cubicles are also useful in the containment of hazardous substances used in animal studies, provide an added degree of security, and reduce odors and allergens. Cubicle housing areas should be designed to have either positive or negative air pressure in relation to adjacent spaces based on intended use of the cubicle. If the cubicles are prefabricated units, they can be readily disassembled to convert the room to other uses. Ideally, cubicles should be designed to accept two single-sided rodent racks or one double-sided unit or one NHP racking unit. Although management may decide to utilize static non-ventilated cages within the cubicle, cubicles should be equipped with two exhaust drops to be used if ventilated caging is used in the area. If over-head doors are used on this type of space, consider providing automatic door operators.

A higher level of protection can be attained through the provision of individual air supply and exhaust in each cubicle. Air may pass through a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter at the supply, exhaust, or both. Each cubicle may also have its own lighting and watering systems. Access to a manual override must be restricted through the use of a key or card key system. Uniform lighting is ideal throughout the cubicle, but, because cubicles are small, light may not reach the back of the holding rack. Therefore, considerations should be given to specifying vertical fluorescent lighting to be installed in the corners of the cubicle in addition to ceiling lights. If vertical lighting is utilized, the bottom of the tube should be specified to be 457.2 mm from the floor. The fixtures must be caulked, sealed, and moisture proofed.

C.1.5 Containment Suites: At a minimum, all animal facilities at the NIH shall be designed as animal biosafety level (ABSL-2) facilities. Containment suites should have negative air pressure relative to adjoining areas. For specific requirements, refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) NIH publication Biosafety in Microbiological Laboratories for ABSL planning and design.

C.1.6 Isolation Areas: Isolation cubicles should be provided to house animals that may have an infectious disease or animals that may be more susceptible to disease (i.e., immunocompromised, etc.). Ideally, cubicles should be designed to accept two single-sided rodent racks or one double-sided unit or one NHP racking unit. Although management may decide to utilize static non-ventilated cages within the cubicle, cubicles should be equipped with two exhaust drops to be used if ventilated caging is used in the area. Isolation rooms should be on the “dirty” side of the animal facility, perhaps near the necropsy/perfusion room.

C.1.7 Procedure Rooms: Animal procedure rooms may be either shared or dedicated. A shared procedure room provides space for working with animals from multiple animal rooms and frequently involves multiple investigators and possibly more than one species. Dedicated animal procedure rooms provide space for working with animals maintained in a single room or a small cluster of animal rooms that may have direct access to the procedure laboratory. Procedure rooms should be equipped with a fume hood and/or BSC, stainless steel counters with downdraft sinks/tables for rodent surgery, exam lights, refrigerator, and wall-mounted or mobile cabinets. Alternatively, ducted BSCs can be considered for areas that may require a BSC with some exterior venting capability. There should be a sufficient number of electrical outlets to support all anticipated equipment. Central gas (oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.), a passive gas scavenger line, vacuum, and high-pressure air may be needed in some or all procedure rooms. A low benchtop may be needed for either a desk surface or a microscope. Procedure rooms should be designed so that they can be converted to animal holding rooms.

C.1.8 Behavioral Testing Rooms: The requirements for behavioral testing rooms will be driven by the species to be tested. All behavioral testing rooms should have the same HVAC as other animal holding/procedure areas. All behavioral testing rooms should be light-tight and acoustically protected and have information technology connections to data collection areas outside the testing room. All testing room requirements shall be reviewed with the users.

Rodent testing rooms may require deep countertops at desk/table height to hold special equipment. The rooms should have shelving for storing testing equipment. Floor material in rodent testing rooms can be either sheet vinyl or epoxy. However, consideration should be given to the cost of installing epoxy flooring at a later time if the area might be converted to holding rooms. Rodent testing rooms shall have light cycle controls. At least one rodent testing room should be capable of holding a water tank. This room should have a sink and a drain. The floor in the water tank room should be of a waterproof material. The water tank rooms will require a video camera mounted above the tank with connections to a data collection system. If the data collection system is to be within the tank room, a visual barrier must protect it so that light or movement from video screens or personnel does not distract animals. Each wall of the room should have either a light box or a tack board to mount cue cards. NHP testing rooms often require very sophisticated electrical connections. Extra power lines and clean data and LAN lines are needed for computers. Several computer network connections may be required. Cable trays if required should be mounted around the perimeter of the room at ceiling level. NHP testing equipment may be robotic and may require structural considerations. Lighting needs may vary according to the type of testing to be done in the rooms. Light cycle controls may be needed. Cameras and projection equipment will be used in some of the rooms. NHP testing rooms may be individual rooms specifically designed for behavior testing or they may be pre-fab testing chambers that are assembled on site. Some testing chambers may require individual exhaust drops, whereas other test boxes contain fans and do not require additional ventilation considerations. This need should be discussed with the user.

C.1.9 Summary Space Schedule for Animal Housing:

The designer should develop an overall planning module for animal holding rooms based on the proposed racking and caging systems.

Table C.1.9 Summary Space Schedule for Animal Housing and Holding Areas

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C.2 Diagnostic/Pathology Laboratory

C.2.1 Diagnostic/Pathology Laboratory: Diagnostic laboratory services are ancillary to the treatment area and facilitate diagnosis of animal health status. The services may include gross and microscopic pathology, clinical pathology, hematology, microbiology, clinical chemistry, and other appropriate laboratory procedures. The space will be equipped with corrosion-resistant countertops with an integral sink, a refrigerator, downdraft tables, and casework. CO2 is the only central gas that may be required; the need for compressed-air, medical-grade oxygen, or vacuum should be discussed with the user. Specialized fume hoods may be required as determined by the users. A ventilated BSC (Class II, type B1) may be required for examination of infectious specimens. Low benchtops may be required for microscopes. The diagnostic laboratory will be equipment intensive. There should be adequate electrical outlets to handle many small tabletop pieces as well as larger pieces such as incubators, centrifuges, or scintillation counters.

C.2.2 Necropsy/Perfusion: This area provides space for examining deceased animals or performing terminal procedures. It is ideally located either near the diagnostic pathology lab or on the circulation route that is used for waste exiting the facility. It must be equipped with a downdraft table (sized for the species held in the facility) that is equipped to collect hazardous chemical waste, a stainless steel counter, and a sink with wall cabinets. A fume hood or BSC may be needed. CO2, gas, vacuum, and a gas scavenger line shall be provided. Provisions should be made for carcass storage. Either a refrigerator/freezer in the room or, for large animals, an adjacent walk-in refrigerator is recommended. Photographic equipment may be used in the room. A light box may be required. The room pressure should be negative in relation to adjoining areas.

C.2.3 Summary Space Schedule for Diagnostic/Pathology Laboratory:

Table C.2.3 Summary Space Schedule for Diagnostic/Pathology Laboratory

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C.3 Animal Surgery

Functional areas for surgery should include a surgical support area (i.e., storage, instrument prep), lockers, and janitorial rooms; an animal prep area; a surgeon prep area (i.e., scrub area, lockers/change room, rest room); operating room(s), and a postsurgical recovery/intensive care area. Intensive care/ recovery rooms should be located near the surgical suite. The surgical suite should be located away from high-traffic corridors and potential sources of contamination such as cagewash, necropsy, and waste storage. Ideally, separate locker, housekeeping, and toilet facilities should be provided as an integral part of the surgical suite. The surgical suite should have an intercom system connected to all rooms of the suite. Ideally, the suite should be an isolated unit with controlled/restricted assess. Survival surgery for small animals may be conducted in procedure rooms or in operating rooms.

C.3.1 Locker Room: This area provides space for surgical personnel to change before and after surgery. Lockers should be provided for short-term storage of personal items. Consideration should be given to planning a janitor's closet (with a floor-mounted mop sink) and a toilet room in this area.

C.3.2 Surgeon Scrub Room: This room provides space for surgical personnel to clean up before and after surgery and should have direct access to the surgical suite/operating rooms. It will be equipped with a scrub sink and disposable scrub brush dispenser. Ideally, the scrub area should be an isolated area, not utilized as a thoroughfare for animals or supplies.

C.3.3 Animal Surgical Prep Room: This area provides space for holding and preparing an animal subject for surgery. The room should have two doors to provide one-way traffic into the surgical area from the general circulation/housing area into the surgical area. It should have direct access to the operating suite/room. The prep room will be equipped with a procedure table, storage cabinet, stainless steel counter, and sink with wall cabinets. A downdraft table and a wet prep table may be required. At each procedure table/location in a prep room, there should be vacuum, a waste anesthesia gas scavenger line, and compressed medical gas lines (i.e., oxygen, medical-grade air, nitrogen, etc.). A controlledaccess drug box should be considered in the prep room. There should be space for a refrigerator and a portable anesthesia unit.

C.3.4 Operating Room: This area provides space for surgical procedures on animals. In order to maintain a sterile environment, consideration should be given to a door lock system that will lock the operating room door from the outside if the door to the adjacent room is open. Compressed medical gases (i.e., oxygen, medical-grade air, nitrogen, etc.), waste anesthesia gas scavenger units, and vacuum lines shall be provided. Overhead surgical lights and a double light box to view x-rays are suggested. Operating rooms are equipment intensive and require additional electrical outlets to support fixed and mobile equipment needs. All of the operating rooms should have easy access to a central fluid-warming cabinet and contain a viewing window to the exterior surgical suite corridor.

C.3.5 Recovery Room: This area provides space for animals recovering from surgery and the effects of anesthesia. The recovery room/cubicle shall be designed to meet the requirements of NHP or other large-animal intensive or postoperative recovery care. Each room or cubicle should be able to house one or more specialized environmental support units designed to provide a controlled environment (i.e., oxygen tension, humidity, temperature, etc.) or single cages or holding racks, depending on the species to be accommodated. Ideally, the room should have two doors to provide one-way movement
from the surgical suite and out to the general circulation to return the animal to its housing unit. The room or cubicle should be equipped with a benchtop, a sink, and an oxygen line. Compressed medical gas, vacuum, and a waste anesthesia gas scavenger line may be required, as well as a refrigerator and drug storage areas. A controlled access drug box should be provided. Desk space should be provided for computer monitoring equipment and charting area.

C.3.6 Surgical Supply and Surgical Work Room: This room will provide space for surgical supplies and work space. It should have direct access to the operating room and the general circulation corridor. It will be equipped with lockable casework, sink cabinets, and sterilizers. The room is organized with one-way flow from “dirty” to “clean.” Cleaning equipment such as sinks, washers, ultrasonic cleaners, and autoclaves are accessed from the “dirty” side, with instrument pack, prep, and storage on the “clean” side toward the operating room. Reverse-osmosis or deionized water may be needed for instrument wash equipment. Clean steam is required for the sterilizers. The designer should evaluate the need for gas, heat, and steam sterilizers within the facility.

C.3.7 Summary Space Schedule for Animal Surgery Areas:

Table C.3.7 Summary Space Schedule for Animal Surgery Areas

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C.4 Pharmacy

A pharmacy area shall be provided in the vicinity of the procedure room and surgery suite, but it does not have to be within the surgical suite. It should contain an appropriate level of security in addition to a drug vault and a controlled access drug box. It should have some bench space, a desk area, a sink, and a refrigerator. Lockable cabinets should be provided for drug and supply storage. Data lines should be provided in the area for inventory control. High-density movable storage systems should be considered for pharmacy storage.

Table C.4 Summary Space Schedule for Pharmacy

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C.5 Radiographic Suite and Irradiator Room

The radiographic suite consists of a darkroom, control booth, and radiographic room. It should be convenient to the surgical suites and accessible to other parts of the animal facility. It is common for facilities to require more than one style or size of x-ray unit depending on the research needs (examples of different types of x-ray units include fixed table-mounted unit, dental, rodent, etc.). The designer must establish the requirements of the facility and design the suite accordingly. The x-ray equipment, animal subject, and entry should be visible from the control booth. Radiation safety should be consulted for any special shielding requirements.

C.5.1 Darkroom: The darkroom provides space for developing x-ray film and may house an automatic film processor or developing tanks, sink, film bin and light-tight loading bench, countertop, red light, and wall-mounted film illuminators. A silver recovery system must be provided if required by the processing equipment. The room must be equipped with a lightproof door and a warning sign. An electronic interlock should be provided that prevents the red light from lighting and entry door from opening while the film bin is open.

Entrances to the darkroom and the internal layout of the darkroom must provide access to individuals with disabilities. Based on some facility layouts, multiple darkrooms may be provided within animal facility support spaces. In this case, at least one accessible darkroom must be provided. Where only one darkroom is planned, it shall be accessible to individuals with disabilities.

C.5.2 Radiographic Room: This room provides space to perform x-ray procedures on animal subjects. It will house radiographic and fluoroscopic x-ray unit(s) with a table- and wall-mounted film illuminators, spot illuminators, and wall-mounted storage cabinets. Storage may be required for film archives and portable imaging equipment such as ultrasound machines. Provide a pass-through interlocking box for film transfer between the radiographic room and darkroom. Specialized power requirements for each machine must be taken into account in the design of power distribution. Some counter space shall be provided. The specific requirements of the units to be installed in the area must be determined by the designer. Shielding of all walls and doors must be provided in accordance with the NIH Division of Safety. An electronic interlock system between the xray equipment and entry door lock will be as follows:

• The electric lock is activated by x-ray equipment.
• X-ray equipment shall not operate unless the entry door is closed and locked.

C.5.2.1 Control Booth: This booth provides protective space for personnel to control the xray unit and is located in the radiographic room.

The NIH Radiation Safety Branch should review and approve all design documents and inspect all construction relative to the radiographic equipment.

C.5.3 Irradiator Room: A cesium irradiator is used primarily to irradiate rodents or sterilize tissue culture specimens in order to conduct further research. An irradiator is a large piece of equipment with a radioactive cesium source housed within the unit. The unit can weigh up to 3 628.8 kg. If the irradiator will be transported to its permanent location via an elevator, the elevator must have the capacity to accommodate the irradiator’s weight. In addition, the approach to the room must be direct and free of obstacles that may prevent installation of the equipment. Appropriate electrical connections are required and should be on a backup generator. The room housing an irradiator must have a controlled-access door that is locked at all times.

The irradiator room does not require special shielding because the shielding is built into the instrument. The room should have some shelving and a benchtop work area. IT connections are required for a local computer to collect data while the unit is running. The NIH Radiation Safety Branch must be consulted and must approve the design of the room and the access route for the irradiator.

C.5.4 Summary Space Schedule for Radiographic Suites and Irradiator Room:

Table C.5.4 Summary Space Schedule for Radiographic Suites and Irradiator Room

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C.6 Decontamination and Receiving

This space is used to decontaminate the containers in which newly received animals and materials arrive so as to reduce the transfer of vermin or contamination from outside the facility. Animals may be transferred from their delivery containment unit into clean holding units at this location, or they may be moved to the holding room to be transferred locally. If equipment or other materials will be chemically decontaminated in this area, consideration should be given to providing a grid floor with a chemical collection unit under the grid that can automatically neutralize the chemicals before they enter the sewage system. A large drain and hose bib will be required for this space if materials will be chemically decontaminated. The space should be located between the animal loading dock and quarantine. It shall be equipped with a sink, drain, hose bib, desk, and benchtop. Adequate storage should be provided for both waste and clean equipment. Caretakers in rodent receiving areas may use temporary isolation cabinets to separate animals from different sources.

C.6.1 Quarantine Area: Incoming animals may be quarantined prior to entering the animal holding area. Self-contained cubicles may be used for small animals held in the facility. Each cubicle may have its own exhaust and watering systems. A pass-through autoclave shall be considered for a larger quarantine room. The quarantine room shall be located close to receiving and the cagewash. It should have a sink, bench work area and shelving, and exam lights. A small diagnostic lab with benchtop centrifuges and other lab equipment may be required in close proximity to the quarantine room.

C.6.2 Vestibules: Vestibules should be located as required to prevent contamination of animal holding areas and “clean” areas of the animal facility, for sound isolation and security. Vestibules may be appropriate at the point of entry into the facility, into a suite of isolation rooms, between areas that hold different species, or between animal and administrative areas. Doors are to be equipped with bristle-type door sweeps. Consideration should be given to provisions for staff to gown/degown at entry vestibules. A crossover bench or pulldown seat should be considered in gowning areas as well as space to store “clean” gowning paraphernalia and discard bins.

C.6.3 Summary Space Schedule for Decontamination and Receiving:

Table C.6.3 Summary Space Schedule for Decontamination and Receiving

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C.7 Cagewash

C.7.1 Cagewash: The cagewash houses equipment for cleaning and sanitizing animal cages, trays, lids, and water bottles. In addition, the cagewash area may house bedding disposal and bedding filling equipment and storage for “clean” bedding. During the planning phase, the method and route for bedding delivery and bedding disposal between the loading dock and the cagewash must be defined. Automated delivery and discard systems for bedding, food, and waste are available and should be considered for large facilities. These systems may have special space requirements at the loading dock and in the cagewash area. The cagewash should be convenient to animal holding but distant from administration offices and personnel areas.

The cagewash equipment may include a bottle washer, a cage and rack washer, tunneltype washers, acid neutralization tanks, robots, and an autoclave. The autoclave should be of sufficient size to contain full-size or multiple cage racks. In some applications, a large, pass-through autoclave with controls on both sides may be adequate to serve the needs of both the “clean” and “dirty” sides. This may eliminate the need for duplication of expensive capital equipment. The autoclave should be provided with “clean” steam to extend the usable life of the equipment. The species housed in the facility, the capacity of the facility, the number of wash cycles per week, the number and duration of staff shifts, and the redundancy and capacity of other washers determine the equipment type, size, and complexity.

The cagewash area should be divided into a “dirty” side and a “clean” side. A third area containing the wash equipment should be considered in large cagewash operations between the “clean” and “dirty” sides. There should be no personnel access between the two sides. The sides may be divided by a glass partition with a telephone or paging system for communication.

Access to the “dirty” side should be through double doors opening in the direction of traffic. Automatic openers should be installed to control the doors. The doors should be impact resistant and have door sweeps. The “dirty” area must be designed for washdown activities. Linear space is needed for marshalling incoming cages and racks, dumping bedding, breaking down cages, emptying bottles, and loading washers. The “dirty” area should be equipped with a scullery sink, bedding dump station, waste disposal equipment, automatic water manifold flush station, chemical neutralization, prewash stall with a grid floor, a water fountain, and emergency eyewash and shower. A pit may be required to prep or descale the racks and cages.

The “clean” area is equipped with a large autoclave, bedding dispenser, animal drinking water, flush station, and water bottle filler. Linear space for marshalling is also required on the “clean” side. A unisex toilet room and water fountain should be provided in both “dirty” and “clean” areas. Both sides should be designed to promote proper cleaning and minimize pest harborage.

Cage and rack washers feature a chamber of sufficient size to accommodate two or more cage racks or large cages. The rack washer should be placed in a pit to eliminate the need for ramps. Pits must be surfaced with rustproof grating materials and must be easily accessible and cleanable. Separate pits shall be designed for equipment pit(s) and drip pit(s). Grating-covered drip pits must extend into the clean area to allow the clean rack to drip dry (provide separation between the “dirty” and “clean” pits). The equipment pit should be sealed, and the space around the washing equipment should be sealed to form a complete barrier between the “clean” and “dirty” sides of the cagewash area. The tunnel washer transports cages on a continuously moving conveyor through a prerinse, detergent wash, rinse, final freshwater rinse, and drying sequence. These units are also suited for water bottles, small cages, and other small equipment. There should be a minimum of 4 feet of clearance around the tunnel washer for maintenance. A common enclosed equipment service space must be provided between the “clean” and “dirty” sides to provide for cagewash equipment maintenance.

Efficiency of water usage must be considered in planning, as this will impact the type of equipment purchased. Some water used in the rinse process may be recycled. Water may have to be treated to eliminate chemical and mineral deposits. Acid neutralization, depending on the size of the facility, may be required and should be considered during the planning phase.

There is a trend toward robotizing some or all of the cagewash functions in larger facilities. The facility must have sufficient throughput to warrant the cost of robotic equipment. Safety walls must separate the areas where people enter the robotic area from the actual equipment. Redundancy should be considered when designing a robotic cagewash facility. Consideration should be given to having one robotic cagewash line and one conventional cagewash line. A robotic cagewash requires a marshalling area, conveyor belts, a bedding dump station, an automated cage handler, an index tunnel washer, a cage and rack washer for larger or nonstandard size cages, a steam sterilizer, a bedding dispenser, a bottle-filling station, and other equipment associated with the robotic system. Additional robotic system options such as dust control equipment may be considered.

All materials and finishes should be moisture resistant, sealed, and caulked. Finishes in the cagewash area should stand up to frequent high-pressure water cleaning. The type of equipment used in a cagewash will require high-voltage, multiphase electrical sources, high temperature, high-volume water, and large quantities of clean steam. The HVAC requirements of the cagewash area must be carefully evaluated to ensure the safety and comfort of the personnel working in this environment.

C.7.2 Storage: Adequate storage space must be planned for clean cage racks, bedding and feed, any special clothing and supplies, cleaning chemicals, husbandry supplies, and procedure room supplies. Storage for chemicals and detergent drums shall be located away from heavy traffic zones. Wire-bar shelving is recommended.

C.7.3 Cage Repair Room/Shop: A cage repair room is used primarily for large animal equipment and should be located near the large-animal holding area and near the largeanimal cagewash entry. Equipment will be repaired and will then need to be washed. The repair shop does not have to be within the confines of the animal holding area, although it is desirable to have it within the facility. Adequate electrical outlets shall be provided for shop equipment. Task lighting may be required. Benchtop space is required.

C.7.4 Feed and Bedding Storage: This area will provide space for bulk storage of feed and bedding. Calculate feed and bedding storage for the “worst-case scenario” of the species that the facility may have to accommodate and protect storage space from being “squeezed out” of the facility. Storage of feed and bedding should be calculated on the basis of a predetermined reserve supply capacity, anticipated maximum consumption per time period, and maximum holding capacity of the facility.

C.7.5 Summary Space Schedule for Cagewash Area:

Table C.7.5 Summary Space Schedule for Cagewash Area

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C.8 Animal Research Facility Support

Animal research facility support includes a laundry room, feed diet preparation room, and cold storage for animal carcasses.

C.8.1 Laundry Room: Clean linen, from either within the facility or a commercial laundry, is distributed though the receiving office to locker rooms and gowning rooms. Based on program requirements, a laundry area may need to be provided within the animal facility. Space must also be provided to accommodate receiving clean linens if laundry is accomplished outside the animal facility.

C.8.2 Feed/Diet Preparation Room: Many animals require special diets. The feed preparation room shall have deep bowl sinks to wash and sanitize fresh produce, shelving, and storage cabinets. One or more commercial-size refrigerators will be required for food storage. Countertops with adequate electrical outlets shall be provided for “kitchen” equipment such as blenders and hotplates to prepare the food.

C.8.3 Cold Storage for Animal Carcasses: Both the necropsy room and the loading dock require some form of cold storage to hold animal carcasses for examination and for discard. A refrigerator is adequate for storage of small animals, but a walk-in, cold-storage room will be required for larger animals and at the loading dock. The room should have open mesh or slat stainless steel shelves. The floor should have a drain and a lip at the door to contain any fluid spills. Separate storage facilities must be provided to house animal carcasses that contain radioactivity. These storage facilities must not have floor drains. If animal carcasses or remains contain radionuclides, they are handled like other radioactive materials.

C.8.4 Equipment Storage: This area will provide space for shelves to store equipment.

C.8.5 Summary Space Schedule for Animal Research Facility Support Areas:

Table C.8.5 Summary Space Schedule for Animal Research Facility Support Areas

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C.9 Animal Caretaker

Rooms for animal caretakers shall be provided in a transitional zone between the animal zone and the administrative areas so caretakers do not need to degown for convenience functions. Transitional areas include break rooms and gowning areas.

C.9.1 Break Rooms: Break rooms serve as interaction space for the animal facility staff. They shall be located in the vicinity of the administration and changing areas, have a comfortable atmosphere, and be equipped with chairs, tables, bookcases, counter, sink, microwave oven, refrigerator, vending machines, white board, tack board, lounge furniture, and space for time cards if required. Trash and recycling receptacles shall also be provided.

C.9.2 Gowning Areas: Locker, toilet, sinks, and showers shall be provided for gowning prior to entering animal holding areas and for degowning after leaving the animal holding areas. These rooms shall be equipped with individual, full-size lockers for staff. The locker must provide for the storage of clean facility scrubs and facility-specific shoe storage. There should be a place to collect dirty laundry, plug in hair dryers, and hang clothing and items on shelving. Provide a mirror and excellent lighting. These spaces must be designed and constructed using moisture-resistant materials and wall-hung fixtures to allow for ease of cleaning.

C.9.3 Summary Space Schedule for Animal Caretaker Areas:

Table C.9.3 Summary Space Schedule for Animal Caretaker Areas

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C.10 Offices and Miscellaneous Areas

C.10.1 Offices/File Rooms: Animal care is typically contracted out at the NIH. The contract supervisor must have at least one office within the animal housing zone or the public zone. In addition, offices are required for floor/team leaders, area supervisors, and trainers. Private offices shall be provided for the Government management staff and veterinarians. Open office space is provided for clerical and other administrative personnel. Appropriate provision shall be made for privacy. Ergonomic systems furniture shall be used in all administration spaces.

Space shall be provided for copying machines, fax machines, files, shelves, and other routine office equipment. In addition, space is required for central computer systems. This area does not have the stringent air change requirements that the animal holding areas have. File rooms should be located in the Animal Facility Office area. File rooms should be lockable.

C.10.2 Conference Rooms/Training Rooms: Conference rooms/training rooms shall be provided for formal and informal meetings of staff and for periodic training. Conference areas shall be utilized on a shared basis and be designed in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) occupant loads. Conference rooms should be equipped to accommodate flexible seating arrangements. There should be white boards, electrical connections for audiovisual equipment, a screen, and adjustable overhead lighting; data and telephone lines shall be provided.

C.10.3 Reception Area: In light of heightened security, the animal facility should have a central reception area where guests and vendors can be met and directed appropriately. The reception area should be located as close to the main entrance to the facility as possible. It should have a reception desk, chairs, and low tables.

C.10.4 Housekeeping Closets: The animal facility must be equipped with appropriately sized housekeeping closets located throughout the facility to adequately serve its needs. A housekeeping closet must be provided with both supply air and exhaust to reduce humidity and control odors. Closets should be fitted with wire bar shelving, mop and broom hangers, a mop sink, and adequate lighting. Closets should be sized to hold cleaning supplies and equipment only. The interior of the closet must be finished with materials and surfaces that are cleanable, moisture resistant, and durable.

C.10.5 Summary Space Schedule for Offices and Miscellaneous Areas:

Table C.10.5 Summary Space Schedule for Offices and Miscellaneous Areas