Fieldwork

The link below leads to formal guidance published by the Universities and Colleges Employers' Association in conjunction with the Universities Safety and Health Association on the safe planning and management of fieldwork.  This has been updated in July 2011 from the previous 2005 version of the guidance.

Heads of School have overall responsibility for health and safety in their Schools and must make such arrangements as may be required to ensure that risk assessments are made for fieldwork and that a safe system of work has been established for all staff and students. The UCEA document provides a useful framework that may be followed to achieve these objectives.

Definition of Fieldwork
For the purpose of the UCEA document, fieldwork is now defined as "any work carried out by staff or students for the purposes of teaching, research or any other activities while representing the institution off-site." 

This definition will therefore include activities as diverse as archaeological digs, social survey interviews and scuba diving (note that the University has additional procedures for this) as well as interview, survey and sample collection work carried out by staff and students in many disciplines.  Attendance at conferences and meetings is within scope of the guidance although, in most cases, only normal arrangements for routine busniess travel will be required.   Meetings in more hazardous parts of the world may demand more rigorous consideration of potential risks and the arrangements needed to deal with these.

UCEA/USHA GUIDANCE ON SAFETY IN FIELDWORK (2011 Edition)

USHA have also produced a suite of forms and templates that form a Fieldwork Health and Safety Toolkit.  This may be used freely within the University and can be accessed via the USHA website (registration required) or by contacting SEPS.