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Field Research Training

Mentoring and Safety Training
While often informal, mentoring should be documented as training as it is essential for compliance with regulations, accrediting agencies, and funding requirements. Research groups and field instructors can integrate safety training into lab meetings or field lectures and document attendance with a sign-in sheet. 

External training providers may issue certifications (e.g., first aid cards) that individuals should keep. All required training should also be listed as prerequisites in a Field Safety Plan, signed by all participants.

A snake on a log in a desert

Trainings We Provide and Coordinate:

The following trainings are provided for staff and students working in research laboratories. 

For more information about the courses below contact: Fieldresearch@ehs.ucla.edu

First Aid and Wilderness Training for Fieldwork

First aid training is essential for off-campus and remote field sites where emergency services may be limited or delayed. Cal/OSHA (Title 8 §3400) requires first aid supplies and trained personnel when an infirmary or hospital is not nearby. 

  • Pre-Requisite: Yes; CPR/First Aid
  • Description: This hands-on training is designed for anyone who works, travels, or recreates in remote environments where emergency services may be delayed. Learn life-saving techniques for field conditions, gain confidence in assessing and responding to injuries, and build readiness for backcountry emergencies. This is a Red Cross Certification Course
  • Location: In person, on campus
  • Availability: Annually
  • Upon successful completion, you will receive a digital Red Cross Wilderness First Aid certificate.
  • Pre-Requisite: Yes, Safe Driver Training and Safety Plan
  • Location: In person, off campus
  • Availability: Year-round, class is limited. More availability if you provide your own vehicle
  • Clinics Offered: Winching Safety & Training, Off-Road Driving & Safety , Self-recovery, and  Sand & Dunes
  • More information: Badlands Off-Road Adventures
  • Pre-Requisite: Yes, Safe Driver Training
  • Description: This behind-the-wheel training program teaches safe driving practices using The Smith5Keys®, a method proven to reduce risks on the road and prevent crashes.
  • Location: in-person on campus
  • Availability: Year-rounds
  • This training is a prerequisite to participating in off-road training and manual driving training. This training is recommended to all field researchers with a valid driver’s license!
  • To register email IRM: safedriving@irm.ucla.edu
  • Description: Based on the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s 2018 report, this workshop addresses the definitions and impact of sexual harassment and assault in field settings. Participants will explore:
    • Prevention strategies tailored for field environments
    • Active bystander intervention skills
    • Realistic, field-specific scenarios to practice what you’ve learned
    • This workshop encourages self-awareness, team responsibility, and effective response planning for remote and often isolated research conditions.
  • Location: On Campus
  • Availability: Annually
  • Pre-Requisite: None
  • Description: This interactive workshop supports individuals working in field environments who may face behavioral incidents within their team or community. Through guided learning and scenario-based activities, participants will explore:
    • Holding space for others
    • Understanding stress and the limbic system
    • Grounding techniques
    • Building a field-specific support plan
    • You will gain insight into your own mental health needs and develop skillful empathy for others in high-stress situations.
  • Location: on campus
  • Availability: Annually
  • Pre-Requisite: None
  • Description: Learn what it takes to save a life. This course teaches you how to be a leader in cardiac emergencies and first aid scenarios. You’ll learn adult and child CPR - and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Heartsaver First Aid + CPR is an ideal course if you are required to respond in an emergency as part of your job or regulatory requirements. Once you successfully complete this one-day course, you will receive a course completion card from the American Heart Association which is good for two years.
  • Location: On Campus
  • Availability:  Past class Oct 24
  • Provider: UCLA Center for Prehospital Care
  • Description: UCLA Environment, Health & Safety is hosting a FREE Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) System of Self-Defense workshop exclusively for UCLA women employees and staff in field research.
  • Location: 1st Floor lobby, Strathmore
  • Dates and Times: Wednesdays, January 21st. to March 25th. 2026; Time: 5:30 - 7 p.m.
  • Register here for spring class, More information: Self-Defense for Women in Field Research 
     
  • Course ID: IP-HEATT-OL
  • Pre-Requisite: No
  • Description: Recognizing and addressing heat illness is essential for protecting team health and maintaining a safe workplace anywhere. Heat-related illnesses can escalate quickly and become life-threatening if not treated promptly. By staying alert to symptoms and acting early.
  • Location: Online, WORKSAFE
  • More Information: https://ehs.ucla.edu/heat-illness 

WORKSAFE

WORKSAFE

Upcoming Trainings

January 2026

February 2026

Additional Training Resources

Leave No Trace & Outdoor Principals -  U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

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Minimizing Impact at Field Sites
Many field sites are fragile and easily damaged. Adopt practices that reduce lasting impacts whenever possible. The Leave No Trace program (www.lnt.org) provides seven core principles for working in wilderness areas, with additional guidelines for specific habitats and international locations:

Seven LNT Principles:

  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  3. Dispose of Waste Properly
  4. Leave What You Find
  5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
  6. Respect Wildlife
  7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Basic Outdoor Skills

Fieldwork often requires practical skills like map reading, compass navigation, camping, cooking, field sanitation, and water treatment.

Learn the Essentials

Whether you’re a seasoned camper looking to refine your skills or a beginner wondering how to start, our on-campus workshops provide expert guidance and hands-on experience. Gain the knowledge you need for camping or backpacking and build confidence for outdoor adventures.
Campus recreation programs, such as UCLA Recreation, offer outdoor skills workshops and referrals for additional training.

Learn More

Working at Heights: Safety Essentials

Falls from height are a leading cause of workplace fatalities. Activities such as climbing trees, towers, or structures; using ladders or lifts; or working near cliffs require proper equipment and training.

Key Safety Practices:

For training and safe work practices contact: EH&S General & Occupational Safety

  • Use properly fitted full-body harnesses (with dorsal D-ring), helmets, and inspected gear.
  • Sport climbing seat harnesses are not acceptable for work at height—they do not provide adequate fall arrest or prevent inversion.
  • Compliant systems include full-body harnesses with shock-absorbing fall arrest components, as required by Cal/OSHA regulations.

Before using powered tools or equipment (including ATVs and snowmobiles):

  • Prior to using powered tools or equipment (including ATVs and snowmobiles) consult with: EH&S General & Occupational Safety
  • Follow manufacturer instructions and keep manuals accessible.
  • Document prerequisites and safe practices in your Field Safety Plan, referencing manufacturer guidelines and/or a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA).

What is a JHA?

A Job Hazard Analysis (also called Job Safety Analysis) breaks a job into steps, evaluates hazards at each step, and identifies controls to reduce risk.

Excavation work poses serious hazards, including:

  • Physical hazards: Equipment use, soil collapse, entrapment
  • Respiratory hazards: Disturbing soil with Coccidioides fungi (Valley Fever)
  • Dust exposure: Silica and other contaminants
  • Trips/Falls: Unmarked or unprotected edges

Regulatory Requirements:

  • Cal/OSHA standards apply to all excavations; trenches 5 ft or deeper require additional evaluation and shoring.
  • For training and safe work practices contact: EH&S General & Occupational Safety

Confined spaces pose serious hazards, including:

  • Physical hazards: Unstable structures, low clearance
  • Respiratory hazards: Toxic gases (e.g., hydrogen sulfide), low oxygen
  • Access risks: Limited entry/exit, poor communication, dark uneven terrain

Safety Requirements:

Standard precautions: Hardhat, headlamp, and a 4-gas meter (measures H₂S, combustible gas, CO, and O₂) before entry
A rescue plan may be required prior to entry

For training and safe work practices contact: EH&S General & Occupational Safety

Wildlife research involves hazards such as:

  • Environmental risks: Extreme weather, isolation, delayed emergency response
  • Biological risks: Zoonotic and vector-borne diseases
  • Physical risks: Bites or attacks

Best Practices:

  • Wear gloves when handling any wildlife
  • Use additional controls for high-risk species:
  • Respirator for deer mice (hantavirus)
  • Rabies vaccination for bats or other carriers
  • Animal procedures require hands-on training and approval in your Animal Use Protocol
  • Consult IBC or EH&S Biosafety Officer for guidance—never perform unapproved work
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