Pond and Bodies of Water Safety
The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences has several bodies of water located on facility grounds. A small body of water is considered a flowing stream or river, retention ponds, and wetland areas w/ standing water. This includes retention ponds and streams at Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory and Chadwick Arboretum grounds, wetlands areas at the Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park, and research involving the Olentangy River. Additionally, this also includes bodies of water on Wooster Campus and OSU Research Stations.
These areas are vital to research and the ecosystem of the property. Activities in / on these bodies of water are for research purposes only. All recreational activities including swimming, wading, boating, kayaking / canoeing, fishing, ice skating, hockey, or other recreational activity are prohibited.
All activities for research or class engagement that involve an activity in or around a body of water, should schedule and get prior approval with the site manager. As part of the approval process a Field Research Safety Plan should be filled out. More field research safety information and plan templates can be found at: https://cfaessafety.osu.edu/cfaes-safety-program/cfaes-field-teaching-research-safety
This also applies to manure storage lagoons at livestock research farms or research stations. Due to additional hazards that may be present, these areas are strictly prohibited to the public and should be avoided by all pedestrians. Any work or research conducted at these sites shall have prior notification and approval of the site manager, and a field research / work safety plan in place.
Contacts:
If you have any questions, please contact:
Seth Walker
CFAES Director of Safety and Compliance
Phone: 330-263-3665
e-mail: walker.439@osu.edu
Kent McGuire
CFAES Safety & Health Coordinator
Phone: 614-292-0588
e-mail: mcguire.225@osu.edu
Reviewed / Updated: 6/24/21 K. McGuire