Policy HSE PRO 007 Field Trip Procedure

HSE PRO 007 Field Trip Procedure

1	Intent	5.1.2	High Risk Activity Risk Assessment
2	Scope	5.2	Approval
3	Definitions	5.3	Notification and Tracking
4	Duty, Obligations and Responsibilities	6	Related Documents, Legislation and Other Resources
4.1	James Cook University	6.1	Related Documents and Other Resources
4.2	Directors / Deans	6.2	Regulatory Authorities and Other Relevant Entities
4.3	Field Trip Approver	6.3	Related Legislation, Codes of Practice and Standards
4.4	Field Trip Leader	7	Administration
4.5	Individuals (Staff, Students, Affiliates)	7.1	Approval Details
5	Requirements	7.2	Revision History
5.1	Risk Management	8	Appendices
5.1.1	Field Trip Risk Assessment	8.1	Appendix 1: Application of this Procedure to Queensland Work Health and Safety Law

1 Intent

To document and communicate James Cook University’s (JCU) minimum work health and safety legal requirements for field trips within Australia and overseas and provide a framework for responsible officers and participants to meet their obligations.

2 Scope

This procedure applies to all staff, students (including higher degree by research candidates), affiliates of James Cook University and other persons undertaking a field trip that is managed and controlled by JCU.

This procedure excludes activities undertaken with the purpose of supervision of students on clinical / work experience / work integrated learning placements as part of their formal program of study.

3 Definitions

Term	Definition
Affiliates	Is a person (other than a Staff member or Student, including Higher Degree by Research Candidates) who is affiliated with JCU by letter of appointment or invitation to work, research or study at the University for a particular activity and typically for a prescribed timeframe and who is bound to comply with the University’s policies during that period (e.g. visiting scholars, adjuncts and volunteers).
Assistance	Assistance includes rescue, medical assistance and the attendance of emergency service workers.
Communications Person	The nominated JCU representative who has knowledge of the field trip and who is contactable in the event of an emergency and for the scheduled call ins.
Field site	A workplace where personnel engage in JCU approved field trip activities
Field trip and field trip activities	Any approved work / activity for the purpose of work, study or research that is conducted by JCU staff, postgraduate and undergraduate students and volunteers at various field sites which are off-campus. This includes urban, rural, terrestrial, freshwater marine or remote locations. In the context of this Procedure, a field trip does not include: Inter-campus travel (Townsville, Cairns, Singapore) Urban office locations Non campus meetings Attending conferences Visits to an urban area where the participants are considered to be an audience Location reconnaissance in an urban area Travel within an urban area Travel to research stations for non-field or laboratory work activity e.g. meetings / maintenance work on buildings
Field Trip Approver	The person with the overall authority to approve the field trip and the field trip activities. The Field Trip Approver will be the Director or Dean or a person authorised by the Director or Dean.
Field Trip Leader	The person authorised by the Director / Dean to lead the field trip, and who is responsible for the health and safety for all persons attending for the duration of the field trip.
Remote	In relation to a field trip, this means a location where activities are performed over the duration of the field trip that is isolated from the assistance of other persons because of location, time or the nature of the field trip. A location may be considered remote if assistance cannot be provided within half an hour in an emergency situation. A remote field trip is considered a high risk activity.

4 Duty, Obligations and Responsibilities

4.1 James Cook University

A field trip is recognised as a workplace under the work health and safety law.

Furthermore, JCU is required to ensure that a suitable system is in place to safely conduct field trips.

4.2 Directors / Deans

The Director / Dean has a responsibility to ensure:

Risk assessments have been adequately completed and documented prior to the commencement of the each field trip;
The Field Trip Leader is competent to oversee the field trip;
The Field Trip Approver is competent to assess the risk of a field trip; and,
All field trip participants are adequately trained as well as being adequately informed.

The Director / Dean has the authority to withdraw approval if the risk status changes in the period between approval and departure or performing specific field trip activity.

4.3 Field Trip Approver

The Field Trip Approver must:

Be authorised by the Director or Dean to approve field trips under this Procedure;
Review field trip risk assessments to ensure completeness and only then approve the conduct of the field trip;
Undertake the required risk management training whilst performing the role of Field Trip Approver;
Ensure field trips are recorded in the JCU field trip management system; and,
Escalate the field trips with residual risk rating of high or very high to the relevant Deputy Vice Chancellor or an Officer of the University nominated by Health Safety Environment Advisory Committee (HSEAC) for additional approval.

4.4 Field Trip Leader

The Field Trip Leader is responsible for:

Ensuring that any risks associated with the field trip are documented and managed effectively;
Authorising cancellations, postponement or modification to the planned schedule at any time during the field trip;
Ensuring all field trip participants have received a pre-trip safety briefing;
Ensuring all field trip participants have adequate skills and competencies to perform the activities expected during that field trip;
Monitoring the working environment to ensure acceptable standards of conduct (as required by JCU Staff and Student Codes of Conduct). This includes not creating an environment which may increase the risk of bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault (e.g. safe consumption of alcohol where allowable);
Modelling appropriate behaviours;
Treating all reports or complaints on matters affecting the health and safety of participants seriously and taking immediate action to resolve or escalate the matter; and,
Being aware of the University’s incident management, notification and reporting requirements.

4.5 Individuals (Staff, Students, Affiliates)

Each staff member, student and affiliate has a duty under work health and safety legislation to ensure that his or her work environment complies with the legislation.

Field trip participants have legal obligations to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and for the health and safety of other persons.

Field Trip Participants are required to follow JCU’s Staff or Student Code of Conduct as applicable at all times throughout the field trip including after work activities / during leisure time.

5 Requirements

5.1 Risk Management

The purpose of the field trip, together with a summary of its associated activities and expected outcomes, must be clearly established at the planning stage. This will provide the context against which the Director / Dean can form a view as to whether the expected outcomes are worth the risk.

If, prior to, or over the duration of the field trip, circumstances change, the Field Trip Leader must review the existing approved risk assessments and revise as necessary to ensure adequate control measures remain in place. New or modified risk assessments must be documented.

All risk assessments must be completed in accordance with the JCU Risk Management Policy.

5.1.1 Field Trip Risk Assessment

All field trips must undergo a mandatory risk assessment at the planning stage of the field trip.

This overarching risk assessment must cover the following as a minimum:

Threat analysis (security threat, significant natural hazards, and health risks);
Emergency planning that provides for:
- Effective response to an emergency
- Evacuation procedures
- Notifying emergency services
- Medical treatment and assistance
- Effective communication between the field trip participants and the Communications Person to coordinate an emergency response;
First aid provisions including trained personnel and first aid kits;
Information, training and instruction for the nature of the activities, the foreseeable risks and the control measures implemented;
Drinking water, hygiene and eating facilities;
Fitness for work. This may include for example possible causes of impairment, disclosure of medical conditions that may increase the likelihood of a medical emergency;
Plant and Equipment, which must be suitable for the task, serviced and tagged;
Safe living arrangements. This may include providing accommodation/tents for participants with respect to gender preferences, privacy for personal hygiene activities (e.g. getting changed, bathing, toileting), and consideration of wild animals / insects; and,
Breaches of the Code of Conduct and related procedures.

5.1.2 High Risk Activity Risk Assessment

Some activities may present a higher risk than others. These require participants to have specific skills, training or qualifications.

The overall field trip risk assessment, must specifically identify every high risk activity that is undertaken throughout the duration of the field trip.

The high risk activity risk assessment must outline the information, training and instruction required for the nature of the activities, the foreseeable risks and the control measures implemented.

Activities that require individual risk assessment include but are not limited to:

Working Alone
Remote field trip, bushwalking
Boating, diving and snorkelling
Operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Four wheel vehicle driving on unsealed or gravel roads
Operation of firearms and other weapons
Cliff walking, rock climbing, caving
Operation of All Terrain Vehicles (ATV)
Operation of mobile plant, for example forklift
Erecting and installing plant
High Risk Work as defined under Schedule 3 of the WHS Regulations 2011 for example forklift and crane operations
Use of high voltage equipment

Related Information:

Safe Work Australia: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2018

Safe Work Australia: First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2018

Risk Management Policy

Weapons Policy

5.2 Approval

The required approvals must be given before departure to a field trip.

The Director / Dean is required to approve the conduct of every field trip.

The Director / Dean must ensure that all field trip activities in their Division / College / Directorate are recorded and approved using the JCU field trip management system.

The Director / Dean may authorise a field trip approval to be undertaken by an appropriately trained person who has knowledge of the field trip activities and is competent in risk assessment.

However, the overall responsibility for ensuring satisfactory provisions for field trip health and safety is not able to be delegated.

All field trips with a residual risk rating of high or very high must receive further approval from the relevant Deputy Vice Chancellor or an Officer of the University nominated by Health Safety Environment Advisory Committee (HSEAC).

Additional approvals may be required over the duration of the field trip. In these instances approvals may be provided as the need arises.

The Director / Dean has the authority to withdraw approval if the risk status changes in the period between approval and departure or between approval and performing the specific field trip activity taking place.

5.3 Notification and Tracking

Formal notification must be made to the Contact Person at the time the field trip commences. Notification must be made in writing.

This enables the activation of the planned tracking and communication plans.

6 Related Documents, Legislation and Other Resources

6.1 Related Documents and Other Resources

Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy

Bullying, Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedure for Staff and Affiliates

Financial Management Practice Manual

Health Safety and Environment Policy

HSE-PRO-001 Boating Procedure

HSE-PRO-002 Diving Procedure

Incident Management Policy and Related Procedures

Risk Management Policy

Sexual Assault Procedure

Sexual Harassment Procedure

Staff Code of Conduct

Student Code of Conduct

Student Complaint Management Policy and Procedures

Weapons Policy

6.2 Regulatory Authorities and Other Relevant Entities

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

6.3 Related Legislation, Codes of Practice and Standards

Legislation

Work Health and Safety Act 2011

Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011

Codes of Practice

Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2018

First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2018

7 Administration

NOTE: Printed copies of this Procedure are uncontrolled, and currency can only be assured at the time of printing.

7.1 Approval Details

Policy Sponsor	Deputy Vice Chancellor, Services and Resources
Version no.	18-1
Date for next Major Review	04/10/2021

7.2 Revision History

NOTE: A minor amendment will not result in a change of the next major review date.

Approval date - the date the Policy Sponsor approved the establishment, minor or major amendment or disestablishment

Implementation Date - the date the procedure was published in the Policy Library and is the date the procedure takes effect

Version	Approval date	Implementation date	Details	Author
18-1	04/10/2018	08/10/2018	Amendments to align with Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy.	Principal Technical Advisor, HSE
16-1	15/12/2016	16/12/2016	Minor amendments – definitions - ‘Contact person’ changed to: ‘Communications person’ and references to it amended throughout the procedure; Definition of ‘Field trip and field trip activities’ and ‘Remote’ also amended; ‘Threat analysis’ changed to ‘Risk analysis’.	HSE Systems Officer
15-1	23/12/2015	15/01/2016	Procedure established – replaces Field Work	HSE Project Officer

Consultation Committee	Health, Safety and Environment Advisory Committee (HSEAC)
Contact Unit	safety@jcu.edu.au

Keywords

Field, Field Trip, Remote,

8 Appendices

8.1 Appendix 1: Application of this Procedure to Queensland Work Health and Safety Law

Risk analysis	Regulation Sections 32 - 36: A duty holder, in managing risks to health and safety, must identify reasonably foreseeable hazards that could give rise to risks to health and safety. A duty holder, in managing risks to health and safety, must eliminate or minimise risk, so far as is reasonably practicable, by applying the hierarchy of controls, in consultation with workers and contractors.
Emergency planning	Regulation Section 43: A person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure that an emergency plan is prepared for the workplace that provides for: Emergency procedures including: an effective response to an emergency situation procedures for evacuating the workplace notification of emergency services at the earliest opportunity medical treatment and assistance, and effective communication between the person authorised by the person conducting the business or undertaking to co-ordinate the emergency response and all persons at the workplace. Testing of the emergency procedures, including how often they should be tested Information, training and instruction to relevant workers in relation to implementing the emergency procedures.
First Aid	Regulation Section 42: When considering how to provide first aid, a person conducting a business or undertaking must consider all relevant matters including: the nature of the work being carried out at the workplace the nature of the hazards at the workplace the size, location and nature of the workplace the number and composition of the workers at the workplace. A person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure that an adequate number of workers are trained to administer first aid at the workplace or that workers have access to an adequate number of other people who have been trained to administer first aid.
Information, training and instruction	Regulation Section 39: The person must ensure that information, training and instruction provided to a worker is suitable and adequate having regard to - the nature of the work carried out by the worker; and the nature of the risks associated with the work at the time the information, training or instruction is provided; and the control measures implemented. The person must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the information, training and instruction is provided in a way that is readily understandable by any person to whom it is provided.
Facilities	Regulation Section 41: A person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the provision of adequate facilities for workers, including toilets, drinking water, washing and eating facilities. These facilities must be in good working order, clean, safe and accessible. When considering how to provide and maintain facilities that are adequate and accessible, a person conducting a business or undertaking must consider all relevant matters including: the nature of the work being carried out at the workplace the nature of the hazards at the workplace the size, location and nature of the workplace the number and composition of the workers at the workplace. The Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2011 acknowledges that it may not always be reasonably practicable to provide the same types of facilities for a temporary, mobile or remote workplace that are normally provided for a fixed workplace. However consideration and access to basic welfare facilities are still required at mobile, temporary or remote workplaces. Act Section 19: A person conducting a business or undertaking who provides accommodation for workers and owns or manages the accommodation must, so far as is reasonably practicable, maintain the premises so that the worker occupying it is not exposed to health and safety risks.
Fitness for work	Regulation Sections 32 - 36: A duty holder, in managing risks to health and safety, must identify reasonably foreseeable hazards that could give rise to risks to health and safety. A duty holder, in managing risks to health and safety, must eliminate or minimise risk, so far as is reasonably practicable, by applying the hierarchy of controls, in consultation with workers and contractors.
Plant and Equipment	Regulation Section 37: Control measures must be maintained so that they continue to protect workers and other people from the hazards associated with plant. The control measures must be: fit for purpose suitable for the nature and duration of the work, and installed, set up and used correctly. Regulation Section 203: A person with management or control of plant at a workplace must manage risks to health and safety associated with the plant. Regulation Sections 205 - 206: A person with management or control of plant at a workplace must: so far as is reasonably practicable, prevent unauthorised alterations to or interference with the plant take all reasonable steps to ensure the plant is only used for the purpose for which it is designed, unless a competent person has assessed that the proposed use does not increase the risk to health and safety ensure all safety features, warning devices, guarding, operational controls, emergency stops are used in accordance with instructions and information provided.
Maintaining and reviewing risk control measures	Regulation Section 38: A person conducting a business or undertaking must review and as necessary revise control measures: when the control measure is not effective in controlling the risk before a change at the workplace that is likely to give rise to a new or different health and safety risk that the control measure may not effectively control if a new hazard or risk is identified if the results of consultation indicate that a review is necessary if a health and safety representative requests a review.
Remote or isolated work	Regulation Section 48: A person conducting a business or undertaking must manage the risks associated with remote or isolated work, including ensuring effective communication with the worker carrying out remote or isolated work.
Diving	Regulation Section 176: A person conducting a business or undertaking at a workplace must manage risks to health and safety associated with general diving work. A person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure that a risk assessment is conducted by a competent person for the purpose of (a) The person must ensure that the risk assessment conducted under subsection (b) is recorded in writing.
High Risk Work	Regulation Section 81: A person must not carry out a class of high risk work unless the person holds a high risk work licence for that class of high risk work. Exceptions apply.