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Fieldwork risk assessments

Anton de PaivaBiological Safety Officer

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Why the templates?

• A systematic way in which to glean the answers to questions that must be asked

• To provide a record of these answers• To provide the first step when determining

the work processes

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The process

• What are you doing?• What level of detail is required?• What do you do with the forms?

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Use of the templates

• Use of these particular forms is not mandatory– As long as the alternative is ‘adequate’

• Existing risk assessments do not need to be transferred to the new templates– As long as these are ‘adequate’

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The process

What offsite activity?Which form?

How much info required?

What do you do with the form?

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What offsite activity?Which form?

The process

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Fieldwork

What are you doing?

Hosted activityConference / meeting

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What are you doing?

Conference / meeting

•Scholarly conferences and research meetings only•UK and abroad

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What are you doing?

Hosted activity

•Observation of research activities at another organisation•Participation in research activities at another organisation •Visit to a landfill site or sewage plant for teaching purposes•UK and abroad

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What are you doing?

Fieldwork

• From taking air samples on the Marylebone Road to tagging crocodiles in Namibia

• From interviewing shoppers on Oxford Street to geological surveys in the Pyrenees

• UK and abroad

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The process

What offsite activity?Which form?

How much info required?

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How much info?

• A conference in Brighton will require less effort than one in Mogadishu

• Learning a microscope technique in another institute may require less input than learning a technique with TB

• Taking blood samples from feral dogs in the Sudan will require more detail than counting plovers in the Bristol channel

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The fieldwork template form

• Intro - description of the activity• Travel, to, from and during the activity• Accommodation• Hazards and risks - the location• Hazards and risks - the activity• Personnel involved and contact details• Emergency procedures• Training• Declaration• Approvals• ‘Useful’ links

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The process

What offsite activity?Which form?

How much info required?

What do you do with the form?

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What do you do with the form?

• Conferences - DA and group members• Hosted activity - reviewed by offsite co-

ordinator or DSO.• Fieldwork - reviewed by offsite co-

ordinator or DSO.• Approval from HoD when required

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