The Occupational Health Program in Animal Care and Use at Cornell University is based on hazards identified in the workplace, assessment of risk associated with those hazards and elimination or management of those assessed risks. Hazards are identified by the nature of the research project, by the species, origin, and location of the animals used, or by the nature of the person s job responsibilities. At Cornell University, substantial animal contact is defined as direct contact with animals, contact with unpreserved animal tissues or products, or contact with items contaminated by these products. An important part of the Occupational Health Program is the education of personnel on how to handle the different hazards that they may have contact with in the workplace. Among biological hazards, zoonotic disease agents are an important concern.
Zoonoses are diseases in which the causative agents are transmitted between animals and humans.