Lab Animal Facility PPE: Gloves and Coveralls for Vivarium Staff

A research technician opens a cage to check a post-operative mouse, and the animal urinates onto her glove. In a vivarium, that moment is a routine exposure risk. Laboratory animal facilities sit at the intersection of occupational health, animal welfare, and research integrity, and the PPE choices made at the cage level determine whether zoonotic agents, allergens, or contaminants move between rooms. Vivarium managers need a deliberate, documented PPE program rather than a shared box of gloves.

What Standards Apply to Canadian Vivariums

Canadian laboratory animal care follows the standards of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC), which sets institutional expectations for occupational health and safety, including PPE for staff who handle animals. CCAC guidelines are the reference point that institutional animal care committees use when approving protocols. Facilities typically layer these with provincial occupational health requirements and institutional biosafety rules. The result is that PPE is not optional personal gear; it is part of the approved animal use protocol.

Glove Selection for Animal Handling

Gloves are the workhorse of vivarium PPE. Staff change gloves between cages, after touching animals, and before touching door handles, keyboards, or shared equipment. Powder-free nitrile gloves are the standard choice because they resist punctures from claws and teeth better than vinyl, and they contain no latex proteins that could sensitize staff or complicate allergy testing.

Thickness matters. For routine handling of mice, rats, and rabbits, a 4 mil nitrile exam glove gives enough dexterity for delicate procedures. For work with larger animals, surgical recovery, or tasks with a higher puncture risk, move up to 5 or 6 mil gloves. Staff should be fit-tested in their actual size; a glove that is too large creates drag that tears during cage changes.

Body Coverage: Gowns, Coveralls and Shoe Covers

Rodent allergens are among the most common occupational sensitizers in research settings. Because allergens bind to clothing and hair, facilities limit their spread with dedicated cover layers. Disposable isolation gowns or full coveralls worn over street clothes reduce the transfer of allergens and microorganisms out of the animal room.

For barrier facilities and rooms housing immunodeficient animals, gowning is typically full: bouffant cap, mask, gown, gloves, and shoe covers. Disposable bouffant caps contain hair and reduce allergen spread. Non-slip shoe covers protect both the floor and the staff member; wet cage wash areas make slips a real hazard, and the non-slip sole adds traction on sealed concrete floors.

When to Use Higher-Level Protection

Standard vivarium PPE protects against allergens and routine zoonotic exposure. Certain tasks require more: necropsy of infected animals, handling non-human primates, working with agents assigned to biosafety level 3, or cleaning large spills. For those procedures, the institutional biosafety committee specifies the PPE level, which may include fluid-resistant gowns with higher barrier ratings, double gloving, or respiratory protection. The supply room should carry those items separately so they are not mistaken for routine cage-change gear.

Building a Gowning Protocol That Staff Follow

A PPE program fails when it is inconvenient. Place gowning stations at the entrance to each animal room or suite, not in a central locker area. Post a diagram showing the order: cap, mask, gown, shoe covers, gloves. Provide a clean bench or table so staff can gown without touching the floor. On exit, remove gloves first, then shoe covers, gown, mask, and cap, disposing of single-use items in the room's waste stream.

Stocking matters as much as protocol. If the gowning station runs out of masks at 4 p.m., staff will skip them. Assign one person per week to check par levels, and keep a small inventory in a locked cabinet near the animal rooms. Facilities that use the CCAC guidelines for their program can reference disposable isolation gowns sized for staff comfort and change frequency rather than buying the lowest-cost option that meets a minimum spec.

Related reading: explore our infection control resources for clinics.

decode HAI, SSI, CJD and MDRO acronyms in our infection control pillar article.

Frequently Asked Questions

What gloves are used in animal research facilities?

Powder-free nitrile gloves are the most common because they resist punctures and contain no latex proteins. Thickness ranges from 4 mil for routine handling to 6 mil for higher-risk tasks with larger animals.

Do vivarium staff need shoe covers?

In barrier facilities and rooms housing immunodeficient animals, yes. Shoe covers reduce allergen and microorganism transfer between rooms and protect staff from wet floors in cage wash areas.

What is the CCAC standard for PPE in animal facilities?

CCAC guidelines require institutions to have an occupational health and safety program that includes appropriate PPE for personnel exposed to animals, allergens, and biological agents. The specific PPE is determined by risk assessment and documented in approved protocols.

Last updated: September 2026. CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).