Field Safety

Field Safety At A Glance

• All visitors must adhere to the UC Santa Cruz Natural Reserves Code of Conduct.
• Hazards on the reserve include ticks, poison oak, ground wasps, and uneven ground. Please use caution on and off trail.
• All groups accessing the beach must go over beach safety, sneaker waves, and check the marine forecast and tide chart as a group before heading to the beach.
• Trespass, theft, and other unauthorized activities are a fact of life on the Coastal Science Campus. Reserve users may encounter encampments, discarded needles, human waste, spent fuel containers, and other hazards. Please wear and use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves, trash pickers, buckets, and sharps containers if participating in clean-up efforts. Please reach out to us with any concerns right away. Information for getting campus police support if needed is here.
• Everyone deserves to conduct fieldwork as safely as possible; yet not all fieldworkers face the same risks going into the field. Younger Lagoon Reserve strives to provide a safe and supportive environment for all fieldworkers. We encourage users to reach out to staff members with any questions or requests for accommodation.  

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Field Safety Planning

We encourage all reserve visitors to use a field safety plan as part of your trip to Younger Lagoon Reserve. The University of California offers guidance and forms related to this process, or your home institution may have a process set aside as well. 

A field safety plan serves as a tool to document your travel hazard assessment, communication plan, emergency procedures, and required training.  Developing and using a field safety plan is part of the Cal/OSHA requirement of an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP).

This plan should not only identify hazards but indicate how they will be addressed and mitigated. For any identified hazards indicate what steps will be taken to minimize the risk to participants.

Steps to prepare for field work:

1. Complete a field safety plan.
2. Complete appropriate training for your site and operations (heat illness, first aid,…).
3. Obtain recommended immunizations for your destination (Mainly for international travel, allow 4-6 weeks prior to your trip).
4. Hold a pre-trip meeting to review your field safety plan, travel logistics, pack list (including first aid kit), etc. and cover any remaining training needs.
5. University of California affiliates: Register trips via UC Away for travel alerts, travel insurance documentation, and evacuation services when traveling out of state or abroad. 

The following University of California Field Safety Plan has been partially pre-filled with information applicable to a trip to UCSC Fort Ord Natural Reserve. The form includes staff contact, medical services directions, and other site specific information. Please use this form and fill in your trip specific information. Print and review with all members of your group: Younger Lagoon Reserve Field Safety Plan Form link

For a more information please visit the UCOP Field Research Safety Center of Excellence.