Welcome to the Safety Committee Resource Center! Below, you'll find sample guidelines and example documents that have been vetted by the Safety Committee as good resources. These resources are not intended to, nor do they, reflect all views on a topic or establish any professional or AZA standard of care either in general or in particular circumstances. Content may not address all of the safety concerns for a specific facility. It is the responsibility of each facility, through the application of professional judgment, to determine the appropriate procedures for that facility.
Drilling for Preparedness 2.0: A Deep Dive into Planning and Executing Drills at Your Facility
(AZA Annual Conference, 2024)
Human Safety is Animal Safety: Exploring the Intersection of Human and Animal Safety in Environments with Dangerous Animals
(AZA Annual Conference, 2024)
Drills
Drills 101 (Safety Committee, Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Partnership, 2021)
Large Zoo Envenomation Drill (Detroit Zoo, 2023)
Emergency Preparedness
Applications of the Incident Command System (Safety Committee, Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Partnership, 2024)
Barrier Crossings (Safety Committee, Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Partnership, 2023)
Enhancing Preparedness: An Overview of USDA Contingency Planning in Transport and Medical Management (Safety Committee, Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Partnership, 2024)
Firearms 301 (Safety Committee, Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Partnership, 2022)
Occupational Health & Safety
Heat Illness Prevention Plan (Houston Zoo, 2023)
Ultrapotent Drug Safety for Zoological Facilities (Safety Committee, Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Partnership, 2023)
Compassion Fatigue and Burnout
Am I the Only One Struggling with Mental Wellness in the Workplace? (Mental Health Summit, 2023)
Animal Loss and Grief in Zoos: Qualitative Insights to Inform Organizational Support for Zoo Professionals and Volunteers (Human-Animal Interactions, 2025)
Compassion Fatigue in Chimpanzee Caregivers: Prevalence, Contributing Factors, and Coping Mechanisms (Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens, 2023)
Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being (U.S. Surgeon General, 2022)
Zoo Professionals and Volunteers in the U.S: Experiences and Prevalence of Burnout, Mental Health, and Animal Loss (Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2024)
General Mental Wellbeing Resources
Five Ways to Wellbeing at the Zoo: Improving Human Health and Connection to Nature (Frontiers in Psychology, 2023)
Human Wellbeing Resource Guide (AZA's Safety Committee, 2023)
Human Wellbeing Workshop (AZA's Safety Committee, 2023)
Recovering From Trauma (H&H Health Associates, Inc., 2024)
OSHA, NIOSH, CDC, and Other Resources
Advancing Well-Being Through Total Worker Health (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 2017)
Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace: Getting Started Guide for Senior Managers (OSHA, 2024)
Various Mental Health Resource Links (AZA's Safety Committee, 2024)
Workplace Mental Health (OSHA, 2024)
Psychological Safety
BIPOC Mental Health: Long-Standing Challenges, New Opportunities (ID2 Solutions, 2024)
Ego Bypass Tool (Reality-Based Leadership, 2024)
Integrating Safety, Mental Health, and Wellbeing: Building a Psychologically Safe Workplace (National Safety Council, 2020)
Psychological Safety in the Changing Workplace (American Psychological Association, 2024)
Self-Care and Stress Relief
Animal Affirmations Mandala Coloring Book
Self Care Bingo Sheet (Blank)
Content coming soon!