Enter Project Lead Name

Fieldwork

Department of Archaeology

[enter project lead name]

[enter country, month and year of fieldwork]

Contents

1. Project Risk Assessment Form
2. Pre-Trip Briefing Document
3. Pre-Trip Briefing Acknowledgement Forms
4. Fieldwork Authorisation Form
5. Head of School Authorisation Letter

Department of Archaeology

Fieldwork Safety Provisions

All Directors of fieldwork projects shall:

(1) Read the Departmental Fieldwork Safety Guidelines (attached).

(2) Prepare a Risk Assessment Form (attached).

- assess reasonably foreseeable risks and explain actions taken to mitigate/eliminate them.

- contents should be discussed with the Fieldwork Safety Officer

- form must be signed by the project Director and the Fieldwork Safety Officer

- copy of the form to be lodged with the Fieldwork Safety Officer

(3) Prepare a Pre-trip Briefing Document for all participants.

- contents should be discussed with the Fieldwork Safety Officer, who should retain a copy

(4) All participants in the fieldwork project must sign a Pre-trip Briefing Acknowledgment Form as a condition of participation in the project (attached).

(5) Fieldwork authorisation form to be signed by Director and Head of School (attached)

- lodge copies of Pre-trip Briefing Document with SOPHI and Fieldwork Safety Officer - lodge copies of signed Pre-trip Briefing Acknowledgment forms with SOPHI for all participants

(6) Have the Head of School prepare a letter (sample attached), authorising the participants to be covered by the University’s insurance.

- attach documents (2) – (5) above and lodge with Fieldwork Safety Officer

(7) Honours and PG students doing fieldwork (either solo or leading others, but not when participating in a project directed by non-University of Sydney staff) should fulfil
steps (1) – (5) above. It is the responsibility of the Supervisor to bring this provisions to their attention.

Ted Robinson, Chair
30 June 2011

Department of Archaeology

Fieldwork authorisation

The following checklist contains the minimum considerations for the leader of all Department of Archaeology fieldwork projects. In fulfilment of the Department’s Duty of Care, it is required that Project Directors affirm that they have:

1.  Prepared and documented an up to date Fieldwork Risk Assessment in consultation with other participants and experienced personnel.

2.  Prepared information session/webpage for participants prior to the fieldwork containing but not limited to:

·  relevant information about the project and its activities

·  emergency contacts

·  costs incurred by the participant including accommodation and food

·  discussion of any concerns for health and safety the participants may have or that may be specific to the fieldwork

·  First Aid trained participants

·  safety items required by participants such as hats, sunscreen, water bottles etc.

3.  Provided adequate time for participants to obtain confidential health advice such as vaccinations, prescriptions.

4.  Arranged appropriately licensed and authorized drivers for vehicles.

5.  If overseas travel is intended, consulted DFAT travel warnings and considered and acted upon pertinent implications.

6.  Considered the levels of supervision for the various activities involved.

7.  Considered what equipment is required, its serviceability, safe use, and essential ancillary safety equipment such as first aid kits, personal protective equipment, GPS.

8.  Arranged permission and/or permits for access to field sites.

9.  Developed communication protocols for remote area field activity.

10.  Planned and communicated appropriate emergency procedures.

11.  Arranged to provide contact and communication information with a nominated person in the Department/School.

Department of Archaeology

PROJECT RISK ASSESSMENT (RA) FORM

The Department of Archaeology requires directors of fieldwork projects to conduct a risk assessment of their projects prior to commencing work in compliance with the University of Sydney WHSRM program and in accordance with the WorkCover Legislation promoting safe practices in the workplace.

If you have not conducted an WHS risk assessment (RA) for your existing project, then you must complete all parts (a) to (c) of this form. Project leaders should update their existing RAs (if necessary) and reproduce (and sign) this form annually.

This document should be discussed with the Department’s Fieldwork Safety Officer.

Documents must be signed by the Project Director and the Fieldwork Safety Officer,
and copies retained by both parties.

(a) The Research Project

(b) Risk assessment

Risk assessment (cont.)

DECLARATION

I have read and understood the Department of Archaeology’s Fieldwork Safety Guidelines and have completed this form to accurately assess the WHS risks associated with my fieldwork project.

Department of Archaeology

Pre-trip briefing acknowledgment form

Fill in, sign and return on paper or electronically (keeping a copy).

·  I acknowledge that I have received information from the pre-trip briefing about the fieldwork, including risks and hazards.

·  I have raised any safety issues that concern me prior to departure, and will do so as they arise during fieldwork.

·  I will not wilfully endanger any of my co-participants.

·  I have made the field director aware of any special dietary/medical needs.

·  I accept full responsibility for my own behaviour and actions whilst on the fieldwork, and agree to conform to reasonable requests made by those in charge.

Department of Archaeology

Fieldwork Safety Guidelines

This document contains the following information (as downloaded on 25 May, 2011).

University of Sydney Fieldwork Safety Guidelines (from page 2 of this document) http://sydney.edu.au/whs/guidelines/fieldwork/index.shtml

FIELDWORK OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA
A Supplement to Fieldwork Safety Guidelines (from page 14 of this document)

http://sydney.edu.au/whs/guidelines/fieldwork/FieldworkOS.shtml

Project leaders should also refer to:

(1) Appendix of Specific Guidelines and Requirements

http://sydney.edu.au/whs/guidelines/fieldwork/appendix.shtml

Which includes the following University of Sydney Policies/Guidelines:

Policy on Accident Reporting

Occupational Injury, Illness or Incident Report form

First Aid Policy

Occupational Health and Safety Policy Statement and Guide for Staff

Fieldwork Outside Australia - A supplement to Fieldwork Safety Guidelines

Health and Safety Guidelines for Clinical Fieldwork

Fieldwork Administrative Guidelines

Harassment Prevention Policy

(2) Guide to NSW WHS Legislation: http://sydney.edu.au/whs/policies/legislation.shtml

(3) Injury Management Policy http://sydney.edu.au/whs/injury_management/policy.shtml

FIELDWORK SAFETY GUIDELINES - 1. Introduction

1.1 A Climate of Care

1.2 Responsibilities for Fieldwork Safety

1.3 Penalties and Liabilities

1.4 Auditing and Monitoring

1.1 A Climate of Care

The following guidelines focus on establishing a climate in which safety of personnel has primacy, in which staff and students know the policies, procedures and guidelines to help create safe practices. Departments or Groups may elect to manage the risks involved with their fieldwork in a different manner to that described in these guidelines, but these alternative practices must provide at least equivalent or a better level of safety.

There is no successful method of guaranteeing safety of personnel. These guidelines attempt to provide a framework in which it is customary and normal that all possible precautions have been taken and all proper responsibilities met. The major requirements - assessment of risk, planning, training, equipment, communication, and responsibilities - are addressed in the guidelines report.

Two particular issues of safety in fieldwork should be noted:

(i) Personal safety must, ultimately, be a personal responsibility. Complacency and inattention, lack of preparation or lack of training will all cause problems. No amount of regulation will replace personal vigilance. Although personal safety is a personal responsibility, this does not relieve supervisors of their duty to ensure students (and staff) are instructed about hazards likely to be encountered during fieldwork and how to deal with them. Nor does it relieve anyone of responsibilities to maintain procedures, equipment and facilities so that they are safe.

(ii) Infrastructure and institutional support for fieldwork is an issue for the Faculties, Academic Colleges and the University to address in order to achieve the climate of care required by these guidelines. Much of the cost of equipment to improve safety in the field currently comes from research grants, in contrast to safety equipment for laboratories, which is often provided through building programs (e.g. fume-cupboards, safety showers, fire safety equipment).

1.2 Responsibilities for Fieldwork Safety

Several pieces of current legislation, Australian Standards and Policies of the University set out responsibilities in respect of aspects of safety during fieldwork. The most general are:

·  NSW Work Health and Safety Act: this identifies responsibilities of the employer, managers and supervisors of the employer, for the health, safety and welfare of staff and the health and safety of non-employees (students, members of families of staff, etc.). The University is required to ensure the health and safety of staff and students and to provide instruction, training, supervision, information and safe systems for work.

·  University of Sydney Work Health and Safety Policy and Work health and safety procedures, which commits the University to conformity with legislation about work health and safety and to those established good practices, which are already embodied in Australian Standards and the like. This document provides general guidance to staff throughout the University concerning their individual and managerial responsibilities.

Some more specific guidelines and relevant documents are provided on the Work health and safety website, including supplementary guidelines on fieldwork.

1.3 Penalties and Liabilities

Breaches of the NSW WHS Act carry maximal penalties of $ 3 million for the University and $ 600,000 and/or five years’ gaol for individuals. Managers, supervisors and those in control of workplaces and classes may be individually liable for all risks to health and safety about which they should have known and for which they should have taken all possible precautions. The University is also vicariously liable for the actions of its employees.

1.4 Auditing and Monitoring

Because of the diversity of needs and conditions for fieldwork, these guidelines are planned to operate by self-regulation and auditing for compliance with good practice. Thus, it is the responsibility of anyone planning, co-ordinating or overseeing fieldwork to comply with the guidelines. Auditing will be done to ensure that practices are safe, updated, well-known and current. Auditing provides a method for ensuring that self-regulation is, in fact, working. See section 7 for details.

FIELDWORK SAFETY GUIDELINES – 2. FIELDWORK

2.1 Definitions

"Fieldwork" is any work, study or research authorised by the University and done by staff, postgraduate or undergraduate students or authorised volunteers at sites other than the regular campuses of the University such as the Darlington, Camperdown, Camden, Orange, Surry Hills, Cumberland, Westmead, Mallett Street and Rozelle Campuses, teaching hospitals, permanent field stations, farms or other rural properties of the University.

Fieldwork does not normally include brief jaunts away from the normal workplace to nearby shops etc. Fieldwork is mostly carried out in rural or remote areas, and does not include activities such as distance education, student exchange programmes, documentary research in archives, offshore teaching at other institutions or similar activities. Travel to and from conferences is not considered to be fieldwork. Refer to the separate supplements for guidance on health and safety in clinical placements and overseas fieldwork, as they are not specifically addressed by these guidelines.

"Remote Fieldwork" is fieldwork in areas where it would be difficult to summon help and/or where emergency assistance would be an hour or more away without a vehicle. This includes work on rivers, inland waterways, estuaries and the ocean and work in off-road areas.

"Personnel involved" include members of staff (academic and general), postgraduate and undergraduate students and, in some cases, subject to authorization and approval by the relevant Head of Department, volunteers and members of family of staff. Under some conditions, students of other institutions doing work experience may be authorized to do fieldwork.

Work at permanent field stations that are owned or operated by the University is not considered to be fieldwork, but travel to and from such field stations is covered by these guidelines, as for travel to and from any fieldwork site.

Work may also be conducted at permanent field stations that are not owned or operated by the University. In these cases the fieldwork party should be familiar and comply with established safety practices at those establishments.

Overseas fieldwork should be planned and conducted in accordance with these guidelines, but variations in climate, infrastructure, culture and politics can impact on the safety and health of people engaged in fieldwork overseas. These aspects should be assessed as far as possible prior to departure on the field trip. Refer to the separate supplement on overseas fieldwork for more detailed guidance in this area.

FIELDWORK SAFETY GUIDELINES - 3. General Guidelines

3.1 Planning and Assessment of Risk

3.2 Safety and First Aid

3.3 Communication

3.4 Use of Vehicles

3.5 Use of Boats

3.6 Use of Other Specialized Equipment

3.7 SCUBA Diving

3.8 Coastal and Estuarine Work

3.9 Terrestrial Fieldwork

Fieldwork is a professional activity, requiring professionalism in its planning. These general statements provide a framework for planning fieldwork activities and training staff and students.

3.1 Planning and Assessment of Risk

All fieldwork must be planned in advance, including assessment of the possible risks. The management of risks is essentially a four-step process: