PGR Fieldwork Risk Assessment

FACULTY OF EDUCATION, SOCIAL SCIENCES AND LAW (ESSL)

PGR Fieldwork Risk Assessment

Guidance

In relation to an expression of concern regarding the responsibilities of our academic staff and of their accountability (particularly in law) vis-à-vis the risk assessment of PGR fieldwork, advice has been sought from a range of sources, including our legal team, from safety services and from the University research ethics committee.

Firstly, there is no doubt that we still have a duty of care and a responsibility with regards the PGR student’s welfare while in the field. Thus, we take every care to make our risk assessment suitable, that all reasonable steps have been taken to minimize risk and as far as possible to make sure control measures are in place.

Colleagues should endeavour to be fully aware of the issue of such ‘risk’ and as soon as possible make sure a record is kept of relevant supervisory discussion on this. With this in mind colleagues should consider:

Were they aware of any such fieldwork risk at the outset of the study? Was it

flagged up in the research proposal or in the title of the thesis, etc?

Or was it identified at the upgrade/transfer process?

Was it always understood that such fieldwork was essential for the completion of

the thesis?

Or was an alternative plan ever discussed?

Has the risk of the student not going on such fieldwork ever been addressed, regarding the impact of such an eventuality upon the PhD study?

These are extremely important points to note as we should avoid any claim from a candidate that we lured them here to the University of Leeds under false pretences, if indeed we were to withhold our consent and not endorse their fieldwork!

Minimising risk: colleagues should think through the steps needed in order to minimise risk. For example, with regards to overseas fieldwork, has the supervisors and the student acknowledged what the advice is from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for British citizens travelling to the specific region.

Have the supervisors and the student sought the advice of the international office?

Have the supervisors and the student sought advice from safety services? (We now have a dedicated faculty rep. for this, Linda Lock.)

Have the supervisors and the student sought advice from the University insurers?

Ethical Dimension: Moreover, we should be aware that it may not just be the PGR candidate that faces risk, if the context of the fieldwork is of a political/sensitive nature it may well expose others to risk –for example, if interviewing could the interviewees be placed in jeopardy (then or later) as a consequence of the research topic?

Thus, it is vital that the PGR candidates acknowledge a level of awareness of the risks involved (both personal and ethical) and adequately express that they have fully considered these aspects. It is also important that communication is a two way process, can supervisors contact the student in the field by phone or by email and not just rely on students periodically ‘reporting in’? And, if supervisors accept the student’s acknowledgement of the risks involved then they should sign the document on behalf of the University of Leeds.

Faculty of Education Social Sciences and Law

School of ______)

FIELDWORK RISK ASSESSMENT FORM

Please use black ink if completing by hand. Attach separate sheets of paper if necessary. / Student ID No

Name......

Title of Thesis………………………………………………………………………………………………

Overseas Contact Address, email, telephone and postal address ………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Is this the best contact in case we have to find you as a matter of urgency? YES/NO

Alternative contact Address [overseas], email and telephone …….……………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Contact in the UK [who/ email/address]…………………………………………..……………….…………..

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Dates away from Leeds...... ………………………………….

Detailed description of intended activities......

Are there any academic risks involved in this research?

Are there any aspects of this work which you think might entail personal risk?

Arrangements for contact with supervisors during fieldwork......

Continue overleaf if necessary

RISK ASSEMENT GRID

Risk / Risk / Planned strategies to Minimise Risk
High / Med / Low
Academic risks (that could make achieving field research goals difficult)
Ethical risks (including participatory research ethics and management of personal relationships)
Political risks
(including civil disorder, conflict, freedom of movement/speech, border transit or visa issues)
Personal safety risks (including physical, psychological and emotional risks)

CONVENOR'S/SUPERVISOR’S Conclusions/Comments About Risks

This section must be filled in by the CONVENOR/supervisor

Declaration

The information on both sides of this form is to the best of my knowledge an accurate statement of the known foreseeable hazards and of the precautions that are to be taken. It has been discussed with and shown to all the participants.

Student’s Signature...... Date / /

Supervisor's Signature...... Date / /

(On behalf of the University of Leeds)