Animal Contact Occupational Health

  • Facility Support Services
  • Occupational Safety & Risk Management
  • Research Safety & Services
  • The University of Florida’s Animal Contact Medical Monitoring Program protects our faculty, employees, students, affiliates, and volunteers from potential animal-related illnesses.  The Animal Contact Program at UF is administered by Environmental Health & Safety and UF’s occupational health providers, the Occupational Health Clinic on campus, or our third-party vendor, CareSpot.

    If you are a new employee, you may have your initial animal contact clearance at our third-party vendor, CareSpot. For renewals, you will primarily work with the Occupational Health Clinic on the main campus in Gainesville.

    Animal Contact is a medical monitoring program that needs to be renewed based on the following factors:

    • at least every three years
    • when there are changes in work assignment (i.e., change in species, contact levels)
    • when there are changes in personal health status (development of a chronic illness or condition, immune suppression, pregnancy, development of animal or environmental allergies)

    If you have additional questions on animal research safety, please click here.

    To enroll or renew participation in the program, applicants must:

    • Complete the Risk Assessment Form for Animal Contact. If you work at the College of Veterinary Medicine, you will use the Vet Med Specific Risk Assessment Form.
    • If selecting options 1 or 2 for Type of Animal Contact, submit the form to EH&S by clicking on the Submit link on the first page of the form. If selecting options 3, 4, or 5 for Type of Animal Contact, submit the form directly to the Occupational Health Clinic by clicking the “submit” link at the bottom of the third page.
    • If you are a new employee and need to be cleared for other job requirements, you will have your initial animal contact clearance performed at our third-party vendor, CareSpot.
    • For animal contact renewals, or if you are new and the animal contact is the only requirement for your position, you may work with the Occupational Health Clinic on campus. Your department will need to submit the payment authorization.

    Questions?  If you have any questions on the animal contact renewal process or paperwork, please contact the Occupational Health Consultant at (352) 392-1591 who can assist.