Field & Laboratory Work: effective & inclusive practice

1. Field & Laboratory Work:effective & inclusive practice Dr Richard Waller Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography Keele University

2. Introduction • Field work and laboratory work are the most distinctive elements of the GEES disciplines. • Development of key skills and competencies associated with a variety of careers opportunities. • Commonly viewed as the most enjoyable, engaging and enriching experiences. • BUT – they’re associated with a range of challenges that you should be aware of. • You can play a vital role as a postgraduate student through teaching and logistical support and as an intermediary between the lecturing staff and the undergraduate students.

3. The joys of field work! “If you aren’t having fun in the field, you’re doing something wrong. Fieldwork is one of the greatest rewards of the discipline.” (p25) Whitlock, C. (2001) Doing fieldwork in the mud. The Geographical Review, 91, 19-25.

4. The Role of Field Work Kent, M. & Gilbertson, D.D., 1997. Fieldwork in Geography Teaching: A critical review of the literature and approaches. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 21, 313-332. • Subject-specific skills Training and first-hand experience in specialist field techniques and research methods. • Transferrable skills Leadership skills, team working skills, problem solving, independent thinking etc. • Personal development Enhancement of enthusiasm, social integration, respect for environment, staff-student relations.

5. The Role of Laboratory Work • Laboratories are seen as the characteristic teaching and learning environment for the “sciences”. • Practical-based work associated with student-centred learning: formulating hypotheses, solving problems, interpreting experimental data etc. • Development of key laboratory-based skills and protocols. • Use of a variety of specialist equipment. • Within GEES disciplines is frequently used in conjunction with field work activities.

6. Session Structure Ensuring safe practice Ensuring inclusivity Supporting the academic staff Enhancing the learning experience

7. 1. Ensuring Safe Practice http://www.nmsu.edu/safety/news/news-items/TTechfire1a.jpg

8. Relevant Statute Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) • Overall responsibility for Health & Safety rests with the employer. • Can still be charged with negligence. Management of Health & Safety Regulations (1999) • Requires planning, organising, controlling, monitoring and reviewing of arrangements for management of health & safety. • Risk assessment and appropriate action a requirement.

9. Legal Framework • “Duty of Care” • Everyone has a duty of care to prevent foreseeable harm. • “Higher duty of care” • Higher standard of care and vision associated with someone with experience/expertise. • “Standard of care” • Level of competence associated with the proper discharge of one’s professional duties. Fundamental Principles

10. Negligence What we’re ultimately seeking to avoid: “Acts or omissions by someone with duty of care in which breach falls below the expected standard of carein the circumstances to protect others from reasonable risk of harm.” Results from: • Having responsibility • Being careless • Results in injury or death

11. Case Study: Stainforth Beck (2000) • Inquiry following the drowning of two children: • No official risk assessment. • Teachers hadn’t read guidance booklets. • No relevant qualifications. • Continued with activity despite earlier incidents and rising water levels. • No safety rope. • No contingency plans.

12. Risk Assessment What is risk assessment? “The conscious process applied to the identification of hazards, the subsequent evaluation of associated risks and the implementation of a series of control measures to minimise the risks highlighted.” Why? • To minimise risk to staff and students. • Legal obligation (risk assessment is a legal document)

13. The Risk Assessment Process Consider… Travel arrangements, venue, programme and environmental conditions. • (Review previous risk assessments). • Identify the hazards. • Who could be affected? • Evaluate the level of risk. • Identify and implement control measures. • Record process. • Review.

14. Know your students… • Level of risk is dependent on background of your students and can vary accordingly (e.g. medical conditions, previous experience). • Medical conditions to look out for (ask for this…): • Allergies (foods, stings, medications etc.) – anaphylactic shock • Epilepsy • Asthma • Your knowledge… • As postgraduates you’re likely to have a better knowledge of the students’ conditions and any related concerns. • Not uncommon for students to fail to disclose serious medical conditions for fear of being excluded. • Let staff know if you pick up on any issues of concern…

15. Weather-related hazards Environmental hazards http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/historic/nws/ Flora & Fauna Techniques-related hazards http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/waterlab/samplingprotocols/index.shtml http://www.udap.com/images/Booth%20Bear%20for%20web.jpg Common Hazards: field work

16. Field work: control measures • Adequate training (staff AND students) – especially relevant first-aid training • Checked relevant forecasts (weather, tides etc.) • Appropriate clothing and footwear • Supplementary kit: e.g. sun cream • First aid kits and other medical supplies • Other relevant safety equipment: hard hats, two-way radios, survival bags, spare clothing etc.

17. Urban Areas • Tendency to underestimate the level of risk associated with fieldwork in urban areas - considered a “familiar” environment. • Special care and caution still required, as they’re associated with a range of hazards: • Traffic: Road traffic accidents are a major cause of injuries, students should be reminded to exercise appropriate care and attention. • Personal attack: students should be vigilant and should not work alone.

18. Contingency Planning Consider the “what ifs”… Transport breakdown, delay, illness, injury, inclement weather… • Ensure sound procedures in place before leaving. • Staff & students aware of emergency procedures. • Nearest phone, nearest medical facilitites? • Clear lines of communication in place (emergency number in overseas countries, phrasebook). • Take all relevant documentation. • Establish code of behaviour. • Spare field kit.

19. The Reality Note: Insurance cover is often invalidated by accidents/injuries sustained as a result of excessive alcohol or drug consumption… • Focus is on hazards resulting from field work but most incidents tend to occur “out of hours”. • Alcohol-related problems: accidents, fights, muggings, abductions… • You may well be the first on the scene. Think about how you would deal with the incident… • Be ready for the “knock on the door” • Are you fit and able to assist (e.g. drive casualty to health centre) – establish and agree a rota?

20. Incident Management • Major Incident • STOP & THINK • Make sure you’re safe, then the rest of the group. • Emergency services. • Treat the injured. • Keep rest of group occupied. • Info for emergency services. • Where casualties being taken? • Contact base/insurance/home police. • Report forms. • Minor Incident • Deal with incident. • Manage group. • Assess the situation – continue or return to base. • Report forms. RIDDOR - Report of Injuries, Disease or Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (1992) Requires the reporting of serious injuries to HSE.

21. Common hazards: lab. work http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/rmc0097l.jpg Completion of COSHH forms provides the primary risk assessment framework. • Fire & explosions. • Toxic chemicals. • Contamination and infection. • Radiation. • Use of equipment, handling...

22. Key issues to consider Each of these issues is ordinarily covered by the COSHH risk assessment. • Safe handling procedures. • Safe exposure limits. • Safe disposal procedures. • What to do if there’s a mishap.

23. 2. Ensuring Inclusivity

24. Exclusivity & Discrimination Discrimination is not only treating someone less favourably than someone else for a reason related to his/her disability without justification but also failing to make a reasonable adjustment. • Participation of disabled students within U.K. Higher Education programmes involving field work remains low. • Portrayal of field work within advertising as involving youthful and able-bodied students. • Tendency to prematurely set alternative work. • Key legislation: • Disability Discimination Act (1995) • Special Educational Needs & Disability Act (2001) • Equality Act (2010)

25. The Equality Act (2010) Direct discrimination An education provider must not treat a disabled student less favourably simply because of their disability. For instance, they can’t refuse admission to disabled applicants because they are disabled. Indirect discrimination An education provider must not do something for all students which would have a negative effect on disabled students, unless they have a genuine reason. For example, only providing course application forms in one format, which may not be accessible for disabled people.

26. “Reasonable Adjustment” • Education providers must also make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure that disabled students aren’t discriminated against. Making reasonable adjustments could include: • changes to practices or procedures • changes to physical features • changes to how learners are assessed • providing extra support and aids (such as specialist teachers or equipment)

27. A personal case study Q. What would be your concerns if you were taking a disabled student on an overseas field excursion?

28. Working with disabled students • Talk to them! Involve them at each stage of the decision making process. • Ensure they don’t feel excluded. • Try as far as possible to treat them in the same way as the rest of the cohort (“reasonable adjustment”). • Ellie’s recommendations: • Ask the disabled student if they think they can complete the task or if they have any suggestions how to adapt it. • If they can’t do the task alone, try to provide a task they can accomplish with a group of able-bodied students.

29. “Virtual” Field Work McMorrow, J. 2005. Using a web-based resource to prepare students for fieldwork: evaluating the Dark Peak Virtual Tour. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 29, 223-240. • Enrichment Familiarisation with environment and maximised benefit of limited time in the field. • Substitution Enables students to visit inaccessible or dangerous sites. Might relate to environment or disability. • Interaction More interactive than simple reading.

30. Disabilities & Laboratory Work Jones, A., 2002. Able student, disabled person: practical activities and disabled students. Planet, Special Edition 3, 27-28. • Historically exclusion has justified through safety concerns. • Generally disabled students are safer and more aware of their limitations. • Extra precautions. • Working as part of a group. • Apparatus & equipment • Standard equipment can be difficult or impossible for disabled students to use. • Variety of alternatives that can be used more easily (e.g.. one-handed clamp stands).

31. Planet Special Edition Planet Special Edition No. 3 (April 2002) “Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: Learning and teaching guidance for Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences”

32. 3. Supporting the staff team http://www.nmsu.edu/safety/news/news-items/TTechfire1a.jpg

33. The Perfect Demonstrator… • Running a field course is very demanding. Anything you can do to enable the smooth and effective running field trip will be very much appreciated… • Being organised and professional. • Seeing and dealing with things before you’re asked. • Support role: Driving, sorting out field kit etc. • Field assistance: Keeping tabs on groups, “tail end charlie”, assisting students with disabilities. • Acting as a critical link between staff and the students.

34. 4. Enhancing the student experience

35. Developing your teaching practice • Ideal situation in which to get involved with student learning and teaching. • Get involved! Ask for opportunities to make active contributions. • Link between students and lecturing staff. They’ll identify with you more than will with lecturers. • Bring your valuable research expertise and experiences to the fore.

36. Resources • UCEA – Guidance on Health & Safety in Fieldwork • http://www.ucea.ac.uk/objects_store/guidance_on_health_and_safety_in_fieldwork.pdf • GEES – Supporting students with disabilities • http://www.gees.ac.uk/projtheme/inclusive/inclus.htm#Disabilities • RGS-IBG – Resources on Expeditions & Fieldwork (+BS8848) • http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Fieldwork+and+Expeditions/Fieldwork+Expeditions.htm • RSC – Environment, Health & Safety Guidance • http://www.rsc.org/ScienceAndTechnology/Policy/EHSC/EHSCGuidance.asp