Fieldtrip Risk Assessment and Plan

Guidance Material

 

The School of Social and Environmental Enquiry (SSEE) wants to ensure that all its staff and students are able to continue in our long tradition of field-based research.  We are also committed to ensuring that all fieldwork activities are carried out safely.

The following guidance material has been developed to assist you in filling out the new “Fieldtrip Risk Assessment and Plan form”.  The Fieldwork Officer will help you with any queries not covered here.  Please consider the environment before printing this material.

Fieldwork Overview

• Person in Charge – This person is the subject coordinator, principal research investigator, student doing their own research, or supervisor of the activity.
• Departure and Return – Please give as much detail as possible.  If repeat trips are planned to the destination and you want this risk assessment to cover those trips, please indicate your future intentions in the brief description.  You do not need to provide exact dates as you will communicate these to your Emergency Contact prior to embarking on a repeat trip.
• Participants – Please ensure that this section is filled in or substituted by a subject/class list.  Remember to include any field assistants, demonstrators, extra drivers or staff attending.
• Transport – Select the transport to be used.  If School vehicles are to be used, please contact Reception to arrange a booking.  School policy states that a relief driver is required when driving time exceeds 5 hours.  Only staff and students who have completed an approved four-wheel-drive training course may use the 4WD vehicles.  See the Fieldwork Officer or School Manager if you need to do the course.
• Communication – Adequate communication is essential in the event of an emergency.  If communication is not available at all times, ensure that contact will be made with the Emergency Contact, that they are aware of your fieldwork intentions and know what procedures to follow if you do not make contact with them by the prearranged times.  This is of paramount importance for anyone conducting a fieldtrip alone.

Personal Fitness

• Medical Questionnaires (see link at the top of the form) are required for everyone on the trip, including staff and assistants.  Medical conditions should be checked before departure and arrangements made for any existing conditions.  Consult the Student Health Service if you have any concerns.

Emergency Preparedness

• Emergency contact – This is the person who will raise the alarm if you do not make contact with them by either the end of the fieldtrip or by a prearranged deadline.  Normally this is a SSEE administrative staff member (see the School Manager to arrange this).  A friend or relative can be nominated if you prefer, but in this case an additional copy of the completed fieldtrip form must be made and lodged with the School.
• Communication – Ensure that adequate emergency communication is available for the proposed activity.  Some activities (e.g. boating) have legislative requirements and you should make sure that these are followed.
• Transport – Briefly list any possible emergency transport contingencies here.
• Local emergency numbers – Include details of local emergency services so you or the Emergency Contact can get in touch with them in case of an emergency.  For overseas travel please provide details of the local consulate or embassy.
• First Aid requirements – The University has guidelines on how many First Aid Kits and First Aiders are required on fieldwork activities.  See ‘First Aid Assessment -Fieldwork’ and ‘Field Work Guidance Material and Generic Risk Assessments’ at http://www.pb.unimelb.edu.au/ehs/ for details.  If you are conducting the fieldtrip alone, ensure you take a First Aid kit (available from SSEE’s Laboratory Manager or Fieldwork Officer).
• Travel insurance – Check the University Insurance website for details on travel insurance.  All staff and students travelling overseas must have insurance.

Activity Risk Rating

• Activities listed in this section constitute the University’s ‘Field Work Table’, which is updated from time to time. 
• Generic risk assessments are available for all of these activities and by ticking any of the boxes you acknowledge that the generic risk assessments are appropriate for your fieldtrip. 
• If your fieldtrip involves activities not listed in the Field Work Table, then you should ask the Fieldwork Officer to help you complete a new risk assessment. 
• Such activities include using chainsaws, coring devices, electrical equipment or heavy machinery in the field.

Fieldwork Plan

• The Fieldwork Plan is a list of generic procedures to be followed when conducting fieldtrips in SSEE.  You are expected to familiarise yourself with these procedures and requirements to ensure your safety and that of other fieldtrip participants.  You should list additional controls if these are identified by risk assessment or required for the activity.

Checklist

• The checklist includes essential tasks for planning fieldtrips and is intended to jog your memory.  You don’t need to have completed everything for the Head of School to approve your fieldtrip, as you can attend to tasks later. 
• Mark any checklist items not applicable to your fieldtrip as ‘N/A’ (e.g. a PhD student conducting their own research will not need a field manual). 
• If you need field equipment you can obtain this via the Fieldwork Officer or Laboratory Manager.  They will also be able to advise you on correct use of any equipment with which you are unfamiliar.  The Fieldwork Officer has a complete inventory of the School’s field equipment.

Declaration

• Complete the declaration and give the form to the Head of School for approval.  Once approved, make a copy of the form and give this to the Emergency Contact.  Take the original on the trip and give it to the School Manager once you return.