Chapter 5 - Construction Guidelines Flashcards
How wide SHOULD corridors be?
Wide enough to facilitate the movement of personnel and equipment. A width of 6 to 8 feet can accommodate most facilities.
What two features are recommended? Why?
Floor-wall junctions to facilitate cleaning. Protective rails or bumpers, sealed to prevent vermin access.
When are double-door entry vestibules recommended?
Corridors leading to high-noise area (dog or swine housing, cage wash), primate housing (escape risk), where directional airflow is critical for containment or protection
Where SHOULD utility access be?
Interstitial space or through panels or chases in corridors outside the animal room.
How SHOULD fire alarms, fire extinguishers, and telephones be protected?
Recessed, installed, high enough, or shielded by protective guards to prevent damage from large equipment.
How large SHOULD doors be?
Large enough to allow easy passage of racks and equipment. Approx. 42x84 in.
Describe door and the frame.
Door SHOULD fit tightly in frame. Both doors and frames SHOULD be appropriately sealed to prevent vermin entry of harborage.
What SHOULD doors be constructed of/coated with? What protective hardware is preferable? What type of stops aid in cleaning?
Materials that resist corrosion. Recessed or shielded handles, sweeps, and kickplates. Hospital or terminated stops.
Which direction SHOULD doors open? If they must open the alternate way, what SHOULD be present?
Should open into animal room. If have to open into a corridor, should be a recessed vestibule.
What SHOULD room doors be equipped with if room-level security is necessary? For personnel safety, doors SHOULD be designed how?
Locks or electronic security devices. Open from inside without a key.
Exterior windows SHOULD be avoided where? Why are windows a risk? When can windows be beneficial?
In animal facilities, particularly in animal rooms. Security risk, problems with temperature control, prevent strict control of the photoperiod. Beneficial enrichment for NHPs.
How SHOULD floors be constructed? What SHOULD floors be resistant to?
Easy to repair and moisture resistant, nonabsorbent, impact resistant, relatively smooth (although textured surfaces may be needed in high-moisture areas of with certain species). Should be resistant to urine and other biologics, hot water, and cleaning agents.
What SHOULD floors be capable of supporting?
Racks, equipment, and stored items without becoming gouged, cracked, or pitted.
What SHOULD be the structure of the floor?
Monolithic, or with a minimal number of joints.
What is needed to ensure the long-term stability of a floor?
Correct installation
If sills are installed at the entrance to a room, how SHOULD they be designed?
To allow for convenient passage of equipment.
When floor drains are used, how SHOULD the floor be sloped and drain traps kept?
Floors sloped and drain traps kept filled with liquid.
To minimize prolonged increases in humidity, what SHOULD drainage allow for?
Rapid removal of water and drying of surfaces
Drainpipes SHOULD be at least how large? In dog kennels and agricultural facilities, what size drainpipes are recommended?
4 in, 6 in
What SHOULD occur when drains are not in use for long periods? Why?
Capped and sealed to prevent backflow of sewer gases, vermin, and other contaminants. Lockable drain covers may be advisable.
Are floor drains essential in all rooms? Why not? What do drains offer?
No. Rodent room floors can be sanitized by wet mopping with appropriate cleaning compounds or disinfectants. Installation of cappable drains offers flexibility for future housing of non-rodent species.
How SHOULD walls and ceilings be constructed?
Smooth, moisture resistant, nonabsorbent, and resistant to damage from impact. Free of cracks, unsealed utility penetrations, and imperfect junctions with doors, ceilings, floors, walls, and corners. Materials SHOULD be capable of withstanding cleaning with detergents and disinfectants and the impact of water under high pressure.
What SHOULD be considered to protect walls and corners from damage?
Curbs, guardrails, or bumpers that are solid or sealed to prevent access and harborage of vermin.
Are ceilings formed by concrete slabs above satisfactory? Are suspended ceilings desirable?
Concrete slabs are satisfactory if they are smooth and sealed or painted. Suspended ceilings generally undesirable in animal holding rooms unless sealed from space above by gaskets and clips. When used, should be fabricated of impervious materials, have a washable surface, and be free of imperfect junction.
Are exposed plumbing, ductwork, and light fixtures desirable?
No, unless the surfaces can be readily cleaned.
What can impact variations in temperature and humidity in an animal holding space?
Changing climate, number and kinds of animals
What areas SHOULD be kept under relative negative pressure? Relative positive pressure?
Negative: Areas for quarantine, housing and use of animals exposed to hazards, and housing of NHPs.
Positive: Surgery, clean equipment storage
How SHOULD HVAC systems be designed?
Reliability including redundancy, ease of maintenance, energy conservation, meet animal requirements, flexible and adaptable to changing types and numbers of animals and equipment.
HVAC systems should be capable of adjustments in and ideally maintain dry-bulb temperatures of what?
+/- 1 C (+/- 2 F)
Relative humidity SHOULD be maintained within what range? Although difficult, what SHOULD be minimized?
30-70%, minimize daily fluctuations
When are excursions outside the desired humidity range unlikely to negatively affect animal well-being?
Infrequent, minimal, and of short duration
Ideally, how SHOULD relative humidity be maintained relative to a set point?
Within +/- 10% of set point, although this may not be achievable under some circumstances.
What type of HVAC systems have most commonly been used in animal facilities? What is the alternate system, and what advantages does it offer?
Constant-volume systems traditionally, variable-volume systems allow ventilation rates to be set in accordance with heat load and other variables. Advantages to flexibility and energy conservation.
How is temperature best regulated? What is the disadvantage of zonal control?
Thermostatic control for each holding space. Use of zonal control results in temperature variations between spaces due to differences in animal densities and heat gain or loss in ventilation ducts and other surfaces within the zone.
How is individual space heat control generally provided? How SHOULD these fail? What SHOULD be avoided?
Dedicated reheat coil. Valves controlling reheat coils SHOULD fail in closed position. Steam coils SHOULD be avoided or equipped with high-temp cutoff system to prevent space overheating and animal loss with valve failure.
How is humidification typically controlled? When might control in individual holding spaces be desirable?
On a system or zone basis. Desirable for selected species with reduced tolerance for low relative (NHP) or high humidity (rabbits).
What are most HVAC systems designed for?
Average high and low temperatures and humidities experienced in a geographic area within +/- 5% variation.
Do most research species handle moderate fluctuations in temp and relative humidity? How can animal holding spaces be designed to lessen the impact of these fluctuations?
Yes, as long as they are brief and infrequent. Holding spaces SHOULD be designed to minimize drafts and temperature gradients. Partial redundancy, partial air recirculation, altered ventilation rates, or use of auxiliary equipment can help minimize changes due to extremes in the external ambient environment.
In the event of an HVAC system or component failure, systems SHOULD at minimum supply:
Needs at reduced level, address the adverse effects of loss of temperature control, maintain critical pressurization gradients. Critical that life-threatening heat accumulation or loss be prevented during mechanical failure.
Temporary needs for ventilation of sheltered or outdoor facilities can usually be met how?
Auxiliary equipment
Where SHOULD intake locations for air handling systems be?
Avoid fumes from vehicles, equipment, and system exhaust.
What type of air is typically provided?
100% outside air
The type and efficacy of supply and exhaust air treatments SHOULD match what?
Quantity and types of contaminants and the risks they pose.
How is supply air typically filtered? When might HEPA filters be beneficial?
Typically filtered with 85-95% dust spot efficient filters. HEPA filters may be beneficial for recirculated supply air and air supplied to or exhausted from specialized areas such as surgical and containment facilities.
The electrical system SHOULD be safe and provide:
Appropriate lighting, sufficient number of power outlets, and suitable amperage for specialized equipment.
In the event of a power failure, what SHOULD be available?
An alternative or emergency power supply to maintain critical services or support functions.
What should movable equipment be outfitted with to prevent accidental removal from the power supply?
Twist-lock plugs
Why SHOULD light fixtures, timers, switches, and outlets be sealed?
To prevent vermin access.
What type of lighting is commonly used in animal facilities?
Recessed energy-efficient fluorescent lights
What SHOULD be used to ensure a uniform diurnal lighting cycle? What SHOULD override systems be equipped with? How SHOULD they be maintained?
Time-controlled lighting system. Equipped with an automatic timeout or a warning light. System performance and override functions SHOULD be regularly evaluated to ensure proper cycling.
What style of lighting may be considered when housing species that are sensitive to high light intensity?
Dual-level lighting.
What SHOULD light bulbs or fixtures be equipped with for the safety of animals and personnel? What SHOULD be used in areas with high water use?
Protective covers. Moisture-resistant switches and outlets and ground-fault interrupters.
Adequate space SHOULD be available for storage. What areas are not appropriate storage areas? When can storage space be decreased?
Corridors are not appropriate storage area. Storage space can be decreased when delivery of materials and supplies is reliable and frequent, but SHOULD be ample enough to accommodate storage of essential commodities to ensure the animals’ uninterrupted husbandry and care.
Where SHOULD bedding and food be stored? Areas used for food storage SHOULD not be subject to what? Where should refuse be stored?
Separate area free from vermin and protected from the risk of contamination from toxic or hazardous substances. Should not be subject to elevated temperatures or relative humidity for prolonged periods. Refuse separated from other storage areas.
What is essential for storage of dead animals and tissue waste? This area SHOULD be kept below what temperature? Why? How SHOULD this area be constructed?
Refrigerated storage, separated from other cold storage. Kept below 7C (44.6 F) to reduce putrefaction of wastes and animal carcasses. Constructed in a manner that facilitates cleaning.
When SHOULD noise control be addressed?
During the planning of stages of new facility design or renovation.
Where are noise-producing support functions typically placed?
Separated from housing and experimental functions
What walls have excellent sound-attenuating properities?
Masonry.
What can help control the transmission of sound along corridors?
Well-constructed corridor doors, sound-attenuating doors, or double-door entry vestibules.
Fire and environmental-monitoring alarm systems and public address systems SHOULD be selected and positioned to minimize what?
Potential animal disturbance
How should equipment capable of generating sound at ultrasonic frequencies be managed?
Should consider not using.
Special consideration to the building structure as it regards vibration SHOULD be considered if the animal facility will be located adjacent to what structures?
Subways, trains, or automobile and truck traffic.
What attempts SHOULD be made in regards to vibration?
Identify all vibration sources and isolate or dampen them with suppression systems.
What SHOULD be provided for sanitizing cages and ancillary equipment?
Dedicated central area
How SHOULD traffic flow and air pressurization be established in areas for sanitization?
Traffic flow separates animals and equipment moving between clean and soiled areas. Air pressure between partitioned spaces to reduce the potential of cross contamination between soiled and clean equipment.
What measures for personnel safety SHOULD be considered in sanitization facilities?
Safety showers, eyewash stations, properly insulated hot water and steam lines, procedures with propensity to generate aerosols are appropriately contained, equipment that personnel enter are equipped with functioning safety devices that prevent staff from becoming trapped inside.
Monitoring of environmental conditions in animal holding spaces and other environmentally sensitive areas in the facility SHOULD be considered. Why are automated monitoring systems advisable? What needs to be verified regarding these systems?
Prevent animal loss or physiologic changes as a result of system malfunction. Function and accuracy should be regularly verified.
