(a) A testing facility shall have standard operating procedures in writing setting forth study methods that management is satisfied are adequate to insure the quality and integrity of the data generated in the course of a study. All deviations in a study from standard operating procedures shall be authorized by the study director and shall be documented in the raw data. Significant changes in established standard operating procedures shall be properly authorized in writing by management.

(b) Standard operating procedures shall be established for, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Test system area preparation.

(2) Test system care.

(3) Receipt, identification, storage, handling, mixing, and method of sampling of the test, control, and reference substances.

(4) Test system observations.

(5) Laboratory or other tests.

(6) Handling of test systems found moribund or dead during study.

(7) Necropsy of test systems or postmortem examination of test systems.

(8) Collection and identification of specimens.

(9) Histopathology.

(10) Data handling, storage and retrieval.

(11) Maintenance and calibration of equipment.

(12) Transfer, proper placement, and identification of test systems.

(c) Each laboratory or other study area shall have immediately available manuals and standard operating procedures relative to the laboratory or field procedures being performed. Published literature may be used as a supplement to standard operating procedures.

(d) A historical file of standard operating procedures, and all revisions thereof, including the dates of such revisions, shall be maintained.