- The animal facility is physically separated from other activity areas in the same building or is located in a separate building.
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- Entry into the animal facility occurs through an airlock.
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- The first door of the airlock is lockable and controlled through an electronic system or equivalent.
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- The doors of the airlock are provided with an automatic closing system. A mechanism is installed which prevents both the inner and outer doors of the airlock to be opened at the same time (e.g. by an interlocking system). This mechanism does not interfere with assistance in case of emergency.
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- Windows are hermetically sealed.
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- Rooms are sealable to allow decontamination with a gaseous substance.
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- Building is designed to avoid accidental escape of animals.
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- The room contains an observation window or an equivalent system so that occupants can be seen from the outside.
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- The contained area has a hands-free or automatically operated sink for handwashing and decontamination. The sink is located in the airlock or near the exit of the contained area.
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- A shower is located either in the contained area or in the airlock.
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- Personnel have access to a change room for protective clothing. Protective and street clothing cannot be in contact.
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- The supply fluid conducts are provided with anti-reflux devices.
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- A separate room is used to store clean cages, feed, and bedding.
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- Cages, work surfaces, floor, walls, and ceiling are easy to clean, impervious to water, and resistant to those disinfectants and chemicals used for decontamination.
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- An installation to clean cages is available.
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- Backup power is provided in case of power failure.
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- The room has an automatic system for fire detection and alarm.
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- The contained area has an interphone, a phone or any other system to communicate with the outside.
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- The work area is permanently held at a negative air pressure relative to the pressure of the adjacent areas to avoid any transfer of contamination from inside to outside.
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- A manometer controls the relative negative air pressure. It is recommended that an alarm system turns on in case of failure of the ventilation system.
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- When the supply air is not provided by a system independent of adjacent areas (a dedicated system is recommended), airtight back draft dampers or a HEPA filter is installed. When the exhaust air is not discharged by a system independent of adjacent areas (a dedicated system is recommended), a second HEPA filter is installed in the exhaust system.
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- Supply and exhaust air systems are interlocked to avoid a positive pressurization in case of accidental failure of the exhaust system.
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- The supply and exhaust air systems can be sealed with dampers.
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- Air is exhausted from the contained area after filtration through a HEPA filter. This air cannot be recirculated within the building or within adjacent buildings or discharged near air intakes or near rooms with outside communication, unless a second HEPA filter is installed in the exhaust system.
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- HEPA filters are changed after previous decontamination or in conditions that allow avoiding any contamination, and in accordance with the constructor instructions.
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- Air ducts are designed to allow room decontamination with a gaseous substance.
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- The ventilation system has an emergency power supply in case of general power failure.
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- An appropriate renewal air rate allows ventilation of the controlled area in order to reduce air contamination.
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