Title: Identify animal handling and restraint hazards related to working in the small animal care industry.
Course: Small Animal Care I (18102-36) > Section: Exploring Safety and Handling in the Small Animal Industry

Identification should include

- terminology related to animal handling and restraint hazards in the small animal care industry
- types of physical injuries in the small animal care industry
  - ergonomic and musculoskeletal hazards
  - eye hazards
  - heat stress
  - ionizing radiation
  - laser hazards
  - needle stick, scalpel, and other sharps hazards
  - noise
  - respiratory hazards
  - slips, trips, falls
  - waste disposal
- types of chemical hazard exposures through dermal contact and/or inhalation or splashes resulting in contact with the skin, eyes, or mucous membranes
  - disinfectants
  - hazardous drugs
  - latex
  - pesticides
  - waste anesthetic gases
- types of restraint procedures used for handling animals
- zoonotic diseases, methods of transmission, and methods of prevention.

Process/Skill Questions:

- Why is safety important when working and playing with small animals?
- What types of diseases or other health-related problems can small animals transmit to humans? How are they transmitted?
- What precautions should be taken to prevent being infected by small animals?
- How can small animal care workers protect animals from diseases transmitted by other animals?
- What are the proper restraint procedures when working with small animals?
- What is lateral recumbency? What is sternal recumbency?
- What is an Elizabethan collar? For what purpose is it used?
- What are the most common types of injuries to people who handle small animals? How can these injuries be prevented?

Teacher Resource:

- Veterinary Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/veterinary/physical.html)
- Merck Veterinary Manual (https://www.merckvetmanual.com/)