BIOLOGY TEACHING ORGANISATION

PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT RECORD
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FIELDWORK RESOURCES
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Fieldwork skills:

• Gaining field experience
• Health & Safety Policy for Fieldwork (Links to the University's Health & Safety site)
• Safety and conduct in the field (BTO guidelines)
• Appropriate sampling design
• Accurate recording and record keeping
• Construction and testing of hypotheses
• Report writing, summary and conclusions

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Gaining field experience

You will gain field experience within several taught courses, including:

Environmental & Community Biology 1h
Animal Biology 2h
Ecology 2h
Population & Community Ecology 3m
Land-use Ecology 3m
Ecological Science and Agriculture Honours courses

You will also have the opportunity to attend Vacation Field Courses related to specific degree programmes, especially the Ecological Science and Agriculture programmes.

Other fieldwork skills can be gained through various agencies - check out the following list:

ECOSOC (An Edinburgh University Students Association Society, run by Edinburgh ecologists - it has many useful links)
LEARN (LINK Environmental and Academic Research Network)
Dirty Weekenders (another EUSA Society - people who get muddy every weekend, undertaking practical conservation work in and around Edinburgh)

If you are planning an expedition, check out the Expedition Advisory Centre for information, training and advice.

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FIELDWORK: SAFETY AND GENERAL GUIDANCE

In all fieldwork situations you are likely to interface with "external" contacts or with members of the public. Please remember that you will be seen as ambassadors of this University, so please observe the basic courtesies.

• Your "external" contacts have volunteered to help us, and we continue to depend on their goodwill. So, be professional at all times, do not break (or be late for) agreed appointments, and give due acknowledgement for the help you receive.
• Respect confidentiality (especially in surveys) and, if in doubt, get your contact's agreement before you mention anything that might be sensitive (show them what you intend to write, and obtain approval if necessary).
• When visiting sites (e.g. wildlife reserves, zoo, etc.) or buildings, observe any special rules or conditions that normally apply there.

Safety issues - general

Fieldwork can involve potential hazards, so you must:

• Discuss what you intend to do with the Fieldwork Co-ordinator and consider any safety implications.
• Make proper arrangements for your own safety - see guidance notes below.
• Before you embark on fieldwork, sign a declaration that you have received the relevant safety instructions.

Safety issues - specific

1. Do not visit any site alone - always have at least one other person with you in case of accidents or emergencies. This is especially important in "out-of-the-way" places, where help might not be readily available.
2. Similarly, do not conduct verbal surveys alone - always have someone else with you. [You never know when an interviewee might become menacing.]
3. If you are going out on fieldwork, always leave precise details with a trustworthy colleague who can check that you return safely. These details should include: exactly where you are going, the route you will take, and your estimated departure and return times. Ask your colleague to check that you have returned safely. Phone your colleague when you return. If you find that you are going to be late then phone to tell your colleague.
4. Always wear appropriate clothing. This includes not only warm and waterproof clothing but also (most important) appropriate footwear. Rocks can be slippery; seashores can be hazardous; any rough terrain can cause sprains (or worse) if your footwear is inappropriate. Make sure that you have soles that grip, and ankle support.
5. Wear conspicuous clothing (bright colours, "dayglo" strips etc.), especially if you are working near roads or expect to be out after darkness falls.

The following general guidance is based on the Fieldwork Safety Handbook of the Department of Geology but is relevant to many aspects of biological fieldwork.

Personal equipment, clothing, footwear

It is your responsibility to equip yourself with suitable clothing and footwear. Without it you may endanger your own safety, you could be too cold to function properly and you might put others at risk if they have to deal with your problems. The prime requirements are to be warm, dry and well shod.

Warmth:

Upper Body. For all UK excursions, particularly in Scotland, you must expect anything from glorious warm sunshine to horizontal driving sleet. You may have to stand around for long periods or put up with long treks home in bad weather. Multiple layers of well-trapped air are the key to warmth. Use thermal underwear, thick shirts, fleeces, jerseys (wool for choice), in some combination. Long-johns have their advocates! Carry spare warm clothing; if in doubt overdo it.

Legs. Trousers should trap air against the legs, preferably even when wet. When overtrousers are worn the design is less critical. Without overtrousers, jeans become a liability because they hold water, dry slowly and cling, so acting as heat exchangers. Almost all alternatives are better in cold, wet weather.

Head. The human body loses a very large fraction of its heat through the head because of its huge blood supply. Take a warm hat. Try to keep it dry but remember that even a wet woollen hat will greatly reduce your heat loss.

Hands. Gloves are strongly advised.

Waterproofing:

You must have an outergarment which keeps you completely dry from at least the neck to the thighs. A bright colour is advisable on safety grounds. You should either have a hood or a waterproofed hat to keep your head dry. A deep hood to distance you from the weather is a great aid to comfort. On Easter or earlier excursions in the UK, waterproof overtrousers are very strongly recommended. Without them you risk hypothermia in cold, driving rain.

Sun Protection:

Even at Easter the sun can be strong. Remember that if you would expect to get reddened after half an hour's unprotected exposure then you need at least Factor 16 suncream to survive a full day. This should be applied half an hour before exposure, to be effective. You should carry the cream to re-apply it.

Footwear:

You should have footwear with soles that grip and ankle support to minimise injuries from twists, sprains and impacts. Trainers generally fail on one or all of these criteria, as do conventional shoes. Relatively inexpensive light walking boots are widely available. Good-fitting rubber boots with Vibram-type soles can be quite acceptable, and can be ideal for beach excursions, but loose, smooth-soled wellies would be a serious danger on steep grass.

Summary of Mandatory Provisions:

The following constitute minimum gear for Easter and earlier trips in the UK, without which you may be prevented from joining an excursion.

Warm clothing equivalent to at least two thick jerseys.
Waterproof cagoule or equivalent; neck to thighs coverage, minimum.
Waterproof overtrousers or enough leg protection to avoid excessive heat loss when wet
Warm and water-resistant head covering.
Boots with suitable grip on the soles.
Arm, head and leg coverage if sun-exposure is a risk.

Gloves are recommended.

HAZARDS ON FIELDWORK

Below Cliffs and Steep Slopes:

Helmets (to BS5240) afford protection only against very small rock-fragments falling from cliffs or bouncing down slopes. You must not allow yourself to feel a false sense of security merely because you are wearing a helmet. You must not therefore wander up to cliff faces.

Grassy Slopes:

Be extremely careful on grassy slopes, particularly on poorly drained uplands, when the pressure of a foot can raise a lubricating layer of muddy water, causing you to carry on down at speed. Even gentle gradients can be a hazard. Convex slopes above rocks are particularly dangerous and should be traversed with great care using all tussocks and projections for extra grip. Learn to recognize the characteristic flora of waterlogged areas.

Parties Moving on Slopes:

Dislodged stones and sliding bodies can have serious consequences. Take your time, spread out across a slope as far as practicable. Consider it your dual obligation to avoid moving directly above someone else and to avoid positioning yourself directly below someone else.

Rocky Shores:

Seaweed and other algae, even as almost invisible films, can render wet rocks as slippery as ice. Skirt round wet boulders or carefully jam your boot in the gaps between them.

Roadsides:

To a car driver, a group at the edge of the road is always an unexpected distraction. Some rules:

• Walk facing on-coming traffic in single file.
• Stay off the carriageway if at all possible.
• Wear bright colours and fluorescent strips.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

The prime concern is the safety and well-being of anyone injured in an accident, and therefore the first priority is always the provision of proper medical attention. If you are the person closest to an accident and a party leader is not immediately available, this guidance is for you.

The basic rules of first aid are designed to save life: i.e. to ensure the patient's heart is beating, to assist breathing, to stop bleeding, and then not to do anything which might make the condition of the victim worse. If bleeding or lack of pulse or breathing threaten life, you may have to act before seeking help. Otherwise, in general, if there is any suspicion that an injury may be serious, do not move the victim, keep them warm and go for help, if possible leaving someone with them.

Report all injuries and accidents to the party leader as soon as possible.

When the victim is in good hands, write down in your notebook exactly what happened and when, and what action you took, with times. Get anyone else present to verify that the account is accurate. Give your account to the party leader as soon as practicable.

Do not talk to any member of the press or any outsider other than police or ambulance service officers, however friendly and concerned they might appear. Refer all enquiries to the party leader.

Having read this, give serious thought to acquiring training in first aid yourself.

CODE OF CONDUCT ON EXCURSIONS

Staying in Hotels and Self-catering Accommodation.

The continuation of the field-work programme depends on the continuing goodwill of the proprietors who provide our accommodation. This means treating premises with care and staff with courtesy.

In Hotels

Take boots off before entering the hotel. Observe any rules about wet clothes and packs.

Keep your own room tidy. Don't create work for the staff.

Be very careful not to spill beverages or ink in your room. Take care with polished surfaces. Watch where you do your writing; do not engrave the furniture.

Report any problems or breakages or other disasters to the party leader, however embarassed you may feel.

Observe correct procedures about late entry. Under no circumstances try to get back into your hotel by an unauthorised route.

As soon as you arrive, familiarise yourself with the Fire Procedures and walk from your room to your fire exit so you know where it is.

In Self-Catering Accommodation.

Keep your own area and the communal areas clean and tidy at all times. Do not expect to live in a tip and then have a final blitz. Owners visit unannounced. Staff will call regularly to assist and will call periodic inspections.

Check the inventory when you arrive and report all breakages or discrepancies to the leader. Report any subsequent problems as soon as they occur.

We expect a very high standard of cleanliness when we hand over accommodation on leaving - gleaming basins, clean grill-pans, no food residues and clean floors and toilet bowl rims. We are confident that you will continue the tradition.

In the Field

Observe the Country Code and reduce your impact to a minimum. Take all litter home

Keep off growing crops. Ensure you leave farm gates as they were. Keep to paths. Do not disturb livestock or wild flora and fauna.

HAZARDS IN THE FIELD ON SUPERVISED EXCURSIONS: A SELECTIVE SUMMARY.

General Hazards.

The following can turn a minor incident into a crisis.

Lack of adequate equipment or failure to carry it with you.

Being separated from the party through inattentiveness;

Failure to make your route and intentions known to the leader when doing independent work.

Failure to take regular medication. To continue in the field when actually ill, or to fail to advise the leader of a medical condition.

The following are generally hazardous circumstances which require care and attention, and proper precautions:

In upland or exposed field areas: concealed crevices and streams, bogs, unexpectedly deep water in streams. Unstable scree. Steep slopes, particularly grass. Falling rock fragments. Moving on slopes in a group. Strong winds, leading to loss of footing or wind-chill. Sudden drops in temperature or visibility. Sudden thaws leading to avalanches or flooding. Over-exposure to the sun, leading to sunburn, dehydration, salt deficiency. Hammering. Locally in the UK: adder bites; diseases borne by sheep- and deer-ticks, dogs and rats; severe allergy to insect bites and stings for some individuals.

Site Specific Hazards

Hazards inherent in caves, rock-climbing, underground workings, snow and ice, and small-boat work will only be encountered if the party leaders are specifically trained for them and exposure to them is an inherent part of the excursion, as for example on the Oceanography 2h excursion to Oban.

In quarries: explosives, unstable rock, moving machinery and lorries, and slurry ponds are all dangerous.

Road and rail sections present obvious dangers from moving vehicles.

On coasts in addition to the general field hazards: tides, particularly local tidal variations, including double high tides; cliffs and headlands that cut off exit at particular states of the tide; abnormal waves; quicksands; unstable sea-cliffs; tidal rips, undertow and deep pools.

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Below is a form, designed for the course Environmental & Community Biology 1h. EVERY STUDENT MUST COMPLETE THIS FORM before undertaking fieldwork or survey/census work in the community

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Environmental and Community Biology 1h

FIELDWORK/ SURVEY HAZARD ASSESSMENT FORM

A copy of this document must be lodged with the Group Project Co-ordinator

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