Preparing for Fieldwork 2: Field Safety for Geologists

by

Don Mackenzie and Helen Wilkins, University of Derby

This interactive courseware module is based on guidelines produced by the UK Committee of Heads of University Geology Departments. The module aims to provide basic safety awareness for students undertaking geological fieldwork, an awareness of the hazards most likely to be encountered in the field and the precautions necessary to reduce or eliminate risks.

Description of the module

The module comprises a tutorial for students made up of three main sections.

The module comprises several sections accessed via this Main Menu .

1. General Sections

General Field Conduct: Advice on general field behaviour (hammering, walls and fences, alcohol and drugs) collecting samples, the Country Code. Field equipment and clothing: General descriptions of geological and safety equipment together with advice on the selection of appropriate clothing for most commonly encountered field environments. Emergency procedures: This section is designed to raise awareness of some of emergency situations; getting lost, stranded at nightfall, severe weather conditions, and managing medical emergencies.

The page is built-up in stages with information provided on each item of field equipment.

General field hazards: The most frequently encountered hazards that are common to many field environments are described e.g. use of hammers, lifting and carrying, weather and medical conditions.

The start of the section on visiting working quarries and pits.

Fieldwork environments

Four main environments are considered; coastal, working quarries, mountain and moorland, and disused quarries and mines. An introductory section is provided for each environment, and extensive material on the specific hazards. For each hazard the risks are described in detail then precautions that can be taken to reduce the risks.

Users have to choose what action to take in various situations.

The risks for each hazard and the consequences are also given in summary form. For example, the risks for 'Weather, Sea and Tides' are summarised as 'Rising tides. Deteriorating conditions. Becoming stranded/trapped by sea. Wetting - freak waves. Wash -off into sea' resulting in 'Exposure. Physical injury. Drowning'.

Part of the Coastal Hazards section.

Printed Records

Complete a Risk Assessment: Students select the appropriate field environments from a menu and the system compiles a list of hazards, risks and precautions together with equipment and suitable clothing lists. Certificate of Completion: Those parts of the tutorial completed during the session are detailed in a certificate that can be printed as a permanent record.

Safety Awareness Assessment

Tests students awareness of field hazards together with their knowledge of safety procedures, and actions in the event of accident or illness.

Students are required to complete risk assessments for different environments

Running the software

Buttons used for navigating around the module are arranged along the bottom of the screen. General instructions are displayed immediately above the button bar. Once a unit is started, navigation through the pages is by means of buttons. Each unit is divided into sub-units and a sub-menu that appears at the start of each unit is used to navigate around that sub-unit.

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