Overview

Fieldwork means any work, undergraduate coursework or research authorised by UTS and carried out by staff members and students at sites (generally outdoors and including sites outside Australia) other than the regular UTS precincts.

It does not include activities such as distance education, student exchange programs, offshore teaching, conferences, visits to other universities or workplaces or work placements or practical classes involving visits to metropolitan sites during scheduled tutorials.

Fieldwork safety at UTS

At UTS, for any fieldwork activities the UTS Fieldwork Guidelines should be followed. These guidelines have been prepared to ensure that all fieldwork activities are properly planned, managed and coordinated in such a way as to meet the best interests of the University while protecting the safety of staff members, students and the wider community.

In addition to physical sources of risk, consider risks that may arise from accommodation arrangements, from students being grouped together in unfamiliar environments, and from pre-existing medical and mental health conditions of students.

The HR Manual provides full details of the UTS Fieldwork Guidelines (PDF, 168 Kb).

Diving: SCUBA and Snorkelling (UTS Staff access only).

 

Emergency Preparedness:

Despite all the best intentions, sometimes things will go wrong during fieldwork. It is vital that we plan for these occasions as part of our risk assessment process, and make sure that everyone is aware of what they need to do in the event that something does occur.

This includes:

  • Assessing the need for any extra first aid or medical support based on an assessment of the risks of the fieldwork, the location where it occurring, and the ease of getting additional support.
  • Identifying how potential communications issues will be managed. Is there a need for additional resources such as satellite phones?
  • Identifying support mechanisms in case of emergency. Are all participants enrolled in International SOS for overseas fieldwork? Have local medical centres been identified?

It is also important that all incidents, no matter how minor, that occur during fieldwork are reported using the University’s online Incident and hazard reporting system HIRO.

Also refer to Off Campus First Aid (UTS staff access only).

 

Forms & documents