Safety Guiding Principles

Denver Zoo, as an organization, is committed to the safety and welfare of our staff, guests, and animals and our top priorities should never be ignored, minimized, or sacrificed. Our commitment to species conservation extends to our commitment to safety and our Denver Zoo community through our Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Management System.

These Safety Guiding Principles inform the zoo’s strategic focus and decision-making in the context of our operations and all of the activities, products and services we provide for our zoo community. Denver Zoo’s community (zoo community) represents our zoo staff, volunteers, guests, members, donors, vendors, partners, the zoo and aquarium industry, and the communities in which we live and work. Denver Zoo’s leadership is committed to these guiding principles to help Denver Zoo serve as leaders in safety and accomplish our mission of inspiring communities to save wildlife for future generations.

Denver Zoo’s guiding principles for safety

We are committed to the safety and welfare of our staff, guests, and animals:

by providing safe and healthy work conditions that prevent work-related injury/illnesses. This shall be appropriate to the purpose, size and context of the organization and specific to OHS opportunities;
by providing framework and support for developing and maintaining OHS programs;
by supporting a system that eliminates hazards and reduces OHS risks.

We are committed to continual improvement of our OHS:

by enhancing our health and safety performance, through continued evaluation and analysis of our operations, systems and behaviors;
by reviewing incident data and initiating corrective action items as deemed appropriate;
by providing the framework for setting our safety objectives and ensuring alignment with the zoo’s strategic direction;
by supporting our efforts to innovate, and apply resiliency and life-cycle perspectives to our operations and decision making.

We are committed to serve as a trusted conservation organization and a leader in safety:

by adhering to identified best safety practices within the industry;
by committing to fulfill all applicable legal requirements and other requirements relevant to the mission and context of our organization;
by committing to productive safety conversations which includes engagement and participation of staff.

We prioritize resources to ensure the OHS achieves its intended outcomes:

by ensuring accountability for the effectiveness of our program;
by fully integrating the OHS into the zoo business operations;
by supporting staff to demonstrate leadership in their roles.

COVID-19 Policies

Keeping Each Other Safe.

Denver Zoo is incredibly grateful for your support. Together, we can navigate the changes, both small and large, that help keep each other safe and healthy.

Rules and Regulations

What We Are Asking Guests to Do to Keep Our Community Safe

Guests at Denver Zoo should follow these guidelines during their visit:

If you, or a family member feel sick, we ask that you respect the safety of others (including our animals) and stay home. We look forward to welcoming you when you're feeling better!
All guests are asked to maintain a physical distance of at least six (6) feet from guests, other staff members and volunteers.
Wash your hands often and avoid touching your face.
Avoid touching surfaces.

What Denver Zoo Is Doing to Keep You Safe

In order to keep our guests, staff and animals safe, Denver Zoo has enacted the following safety practices:

The number of guests in attendance is limited each day
High touch surfaces, including restrooms, are being disinfected frequently on a schedule. Some high-touch surfaces like restaurant tables and chairs are being cleaned immediately after use.
Additional hand-sanitizer and hand-washing stations have been placed throughout the park including at restrooms, the Zoo’s entry and exit, the entry and exit doors of all buildings and all dining locations.
To eliminate another potential touch point, individual personal maps will no longer be distributed. Denver Zoo will provide an interactive digital map for free on its mobile app.