SAFETY PRECAUTIONS 



Because of the Center's location as well as its 

 special facilities, devastating foreign animal 

 diseases can be studied without endangering 

 livestock on the mainland. Congress provided 

 this protection for U.S. livestock by specifying 

 that the Center be on an island entirely under 

 Federal control and be separated from the 

 mainland by deep navigable water. 



Rigid safety regulations were also devised to 

 prevent the escape of highly communicable 

 disease- causing agents from one research area to 

 another and the accidental introduction of 

 extraneous domestic disease agents, which 

 would complicate the studies. 



The Federal Government controls all move- 

 ment to, from, and on the island. Only author- 

 ized persons are permitted entry to the island; 

 entrance to the laboratory buildings and animal 

 quarantine areas is restricted. All Center 

 personnel are prohibited from contact with 

 susceptible species of animals, or premises where 

 such animals are held, for specified periods of 

 time after leaving the island (7 days for persons 

 working in the laboratories and 3 days for other 

 personnel). 



The two main laboratory buildings on Plum 

 Island were specifically designed for research on 

 highly communicable diseases and are 

 considered among the safest in the world for 

 work on animal viruses. All entrances and exits 



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The "M. S. Shahan" is used to transport employees to and from Plum Island. 



