Field Research Safety

Fieldwork is an important part of teaching and research at WCU.  The Safety Guidelines for Field Research is a resource of information that will enable and encourage those working in the field to work safely, and eliminate or reduce the potential for exposure to hazardous conditions in the field.

Compliance Requirements

Research involving vertebrate animals requires registration with and approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). 

Research involving microorganisms (including isolating, concentrating, culturing or growing field samples) and recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids requires registration and approval from the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).

If a University employee suffers a job-related illness or injury, his/her supervisor must be notified and the required paperwork filed with the Safety and Risk Management Office within 24 hours.  For more serious cases involving overnight hospitalization, amputation, permanent disfigurement, or fatality, the incident must be reported immediately.