How to activate your CHPS profile To access the University’s animal facilities, including Aquatics, you are required to set up a profile on CHPS. Your CHPS profile allows you to manage your health record, as required by regulation 11 of the COSHH Regulations.Before applying for a CHPS profileAll researchers working with rodents are required to read Code of Practice for management of Animal Allergens.To gain access to the BVS facilities, please complete the following steps before applying:STEP 1: Fill out Personal COSHH Risk Assessment for Exposure to LAAThe Personal COSHH form is in two partsActivities - Using your group’s COSHH form for guidance, list the activities and the number of animals you might handle. This will indicate the MINIMUM RPE you require to manage your exposure to LAA.Personal health questionnaire - Here you detail any personal health concerns that might make you more susceptible to LAAs and require further RPE. For example, if you are handling multiple mice at a time, this activity, in the Group COSHH RA, indicates that you should wear a half mask. However, if you have a health issue, e.g. asthma that might make you more susceptible to LAAs, you should add this to your personal health questionnaire and this would indicate that you would need to increase your RPE to wearing a powered hood.Note: If you have a beard and require RPE, you will need a powered hood.PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOUR PERSONAL COSHH RA CLEARLY STATES WHAT RPE YOU REQUIRE. THIS IS THE RPE INFORMATION OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH WILL ASK YOU ABOUT AT YOUR HEALTH SURVEILLANCE APPOINTMENT.Respiratory Protection equipment – your PI will supply your maskIf you require a Face fit mask, please book a “face-fit” appointment to ensure that you buy the correct sized mask. You can organise an appointment through MyEd - News and Events - Training and Event booking - Search for Face fit test.For a powered hood – you only need to buy the hood through P&M as battery packs are provided in the units. You will not require a face-fit appointment.SEND YOUR COMPLETED PERSONAL COSHH RA TO CVS Lab Access (CVS.Lab.Access@ed.ac.uk), AND THEY WILL UPLOAD THIS TO YOUR ACTIVATED CHPS PROFILE. ALTERNATIVELY, YOUR LINE MANAGER CAN ALSO UPLOAD YOUR COSHH RA.STEP 2: Complete online training on eLearnCourse NameWHOCourse IDOccupational health and Laboratory animal allergens (LAA) exposureALL STAFFzu_occupational_health_laa_exposureRespiratory protective equipment (RPE)ALL STAFFzu_respiratory_protective_equipmentTight fitting respiratory protective equipment (RPE)IF USING FACE FIT MASKzu_tight_fitting_respiratory_protective_equipmentPowered hood training (RPE)IF USING POWERED HOODzu_powered_hood_trainingSTEP 3: Applying for Health SurveillanceIf the activities stated in your personal COSHH RA (see step 1) indicate that you will be routinely exposed to LAAs you will require health surveillance, to ensure that the controls you have in place are appropriate for you.One month before you expect to be exposed to LAAs, fill out form OHF 57 (Statutory Health surveillance Form) and send to occupational health. If you fill this out too early, you will be recalled for an OH appointment every 6 weeks until you are exposed.Important Information if working in the Aquatics facilityFor information on working in the Aquatics facility, please see their webpage, Aquatics.You are expected to have completed the CVS lab based H&S and documentation, before you apply for access to the Zebrafish facility.When setting up your CHPS profile please note thatYou do not require additional training to enter the aquatics facility.You do not require a COSHH RA, health surveillance or RPE. Access to the COSHH Health Passport System (CHPS) This article was published on 2024-03-19