Dr Stuart Prior

1. Health & Safety Awareness on Archaeological Excavations: Challenges & Opportunities Health & Safety in Archaeological Fieldwork in the FE/HE Environment Dr Stuart Prior

2. Areas to Cover • A court case & a visit from the HSE Inspector! • UoB involvement in the 'Health & Safety in Archaeology & Historic Environment Practice Working Group’ (a national working group looking at Health & Safety practice and provision in Archaeology & the Historic Environment). • Results of the ‘Fieldwork H&S in FE/HE Institutions Survey 2012’. • What fieldwork/H&S training we provide at UoB & why. • Should we be doing more in terms of H&S in Fieldwork in FE/HE Environments? And if so what?

3. A court case &a visit from the HSE Inspector Current Archaeology – June 2011 On February 15th 2011, a Gloucs. based geotechnical firm were convicted of Corporate Manslaughter. In the first conviction of its type, the case concerned the death of a worker who was trapped at the base of a collapsed trench, some 3.8m deep and around 80cm wide, which had been dug by a machine through unstable clay. A member of staff from UoB acted as an expert for the defence during the court case at Winchester Crown Court. As a result of the court case an inspector from the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) office came to visit the Arch & Anth Dept at Bristol to ensure that our fieldwork standards met their exacting standards…they did on every count! But this led to our interest in H&S in Uni fieldwork and in my involvement with the working group addressing the issue of health & safety as it relates to archaeology and historic-environment practice.

4. Results of the ‘Fieldwork H&S in FE/HE Institutions Survey 2012’

5. Results from the ‘Archaeological Fieldwork Training: Provision and Assessment in Higher Education Survey’ • In 2011, 44 UK HE institutions listed on UCAS as offering undergraduate archaeology degree programmes completed a survey entitled Archaeological Fieldwork Training: Provision and Assessment in Higher Education Survey. • The survey demonstrated that an average of 66.47% of staff in each department were actively engaged in fieldwork. • The greatest number indicated that this fieldwork comprised 4 weeks in the summer between the 1st & 2ndYr and/or between the 2nd & 3rd Yr. • In terms of fieldwork requirement over the course of an entire degree programme, the greatest number required 4 or 6 weeks in total. • 32% of institutions reported that their fieldwork was mostly UK-based with some overseas projects, while 30% predominantly work in their home region. Larger departments were marginally more likely to work overseas. • P., Everill and R., Nicholls, Archaeological Fieldwork Training: Provision and Assessment in Higher Education (Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for History, Classics and Archaeology, 2011).

6. UCAS Archaeology Programmes & Fieldwork Engagement • UCAS figures show that the number of undergraduate students accepted onto Archaeology programmes in 2009 were 526, in 2010 were 548, and in 2011 were 511. • It is therefore possible to deduce from this that in the summer of 2013 there were approximately 500 rising 1stYrUg students and approximately 500 rising 2ndYrUgstudents on training excavations in the UK, whilst others took part in fieldwork abroad. • This means that there are approximately 1000 undergraduate students in total excavating and conducting fieldwork in the UK, supervised by an average of 66.47% of staff in each archaeology department, with other staff/students undertaking fieldwork and excavation abroad. • These figures ignore Pg students, students in FE institutions, and students on Archaeology & Anthropology programmes, who may also undertake excavations as part of their degree. • It is therefore imperative that we make certain that health & safety provision is wholly adequate to ensure that all are working safely in a healthy and safe environment,which includes proper use of the correct personal protective equipment (PPE).

7. The ‘Fieldwork H&S in FE/HE Institutions Survey 2012’ • The ‘Fieldwork H&S in FE/HE Institutions Survey 2012’ took the form of an online survey comprising 39 mandatory questions and 10 optional questions. • Heads of Archaeology Departments were sent email requests to complete the survey via the Subject Committee for Archaeology (SCFA), which has 29 members in all; other Heads of Department were contacted directly. • SCFA, formerly the Standing Committee for University Professors and Heads of Archaeology, represents the teaching departments of archaeology in Britain's universities. • Out of the 41 departments approached to complete the survey 20 responded, a modest response rate of 48.78%. Even though the response to complete the survey was lower than hoped for, the survey still yielded some useful and informative results.

8. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey –UK Excavations • Does your Department undertake archaeological excavation work, such as an annual student-training excavation in the UK? 95% Yes • Does your Department undertake archaeological fieldwork, such as earthwork survey, building survey, geophysical survey or field-walking, with students in the UK? 95% Yes • How many UK based excavations does your Department undertake each year on average? 4 UK based excavations on average (but as low as 1 and as high as 10) • Roughly how many students (inc. add. volunteers) participate in your UK based Departmental excavations each year? 70 students on average (but as high as 300 and as low as 12) with 12 departments reporting attendance of 50 or higher, and 6 departments over 100. • 17 departments reported using local volunteers and local labour in their fieldwork in the UK

9. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey – Site Types Locations for FE/HE excavations were: rural sites = 28.6%; semi-rural sites = 12.2%; urban locations = 10.2%; suburban/urban fringe locations = 8.2%; greenfield sites = 8.2%; industrial sites comprised = 6.1% diverse environments/terrains: mountainous (6.1%); coastal, riverine/riparian (inc.bluefield), inter-tidal, marine & underwater = 2% each abroad: deserts = 8.2%; semi-tropical sites = 2% Departments were also asked if any excavation or fieldwork was undertaken on construction sites, or future construction sites, and 15.8% confirmed that they were! The types/locations of sites being excavated by FE/HE departments is highly varied and the risks involved in working in such diverse environments/terrains is significant, requiring implementation of appropriate health & safety management.

10. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey – Project Designs & Policy Documents • Does your Department write a Project Design for its Departmental excavations / fieldwork / site-based projects? 66.7% Yes; 22.2% Don’t Know; 11.1% No. • Does your Department have a Health & Safety Policyfor excavations / fieldwork / site-based projects? 94.7% Yes; 5.3% No. • Does your Department have annually/regularly updated H&S Policy documents and/or Method Statements for excavations/fieldwork/site-based projects? 68.4% Yes; 15.8% Don’t Know; 15.8% No. • Does your Department compile Site Rules for each excavation/fieldwork/site-based project? 47.4% Yes; 31.6% No; 21.1% Don’t Know. • Does your University H&S Team assist with the production of H&S documentation for your Departmental excavations/fieldwork/site-based projects? 52.6% Yes; 31.6% No; 15.8% Don’t Know.

11. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey –H&S Policy & CDM Regulations • Is your Department aware of the Construction (Design & Management) [CDM] Regulations (2007) that might apply to some site-based projects? 63.2% Yes; 21.1% No; 15.8% Don’t Know. • Do you think that staff are fully aware of their obligations under H&S policy and legislation (including the CDM Regulations [2007])? 47.4% Uncertain; 26.3% Yes; 21.1% No; 5.3% Don’t Know. • In your opinion, do you think that students are fully aware of their obligations under H&S policy and legislation (including the CDM Regulations [2007])? 10.5% Yes; 31.6% No; 57.9% Uncertain.

12. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey – Risk Assessment • Does your Department complete Risk Assessment Forms for excavations/fieldwork /site-based projects? 100% Yes. • Are your Departmental Risk Assessments updated regularly on site where necessary? 63.2% Yes; 10.5% No; 26.3% Don’t Know. • Does your Department complete Risk Assessment Forms for every activity that will be undertaken on site during excavations/fieldwork/site-based projects? 73.7% Yes; 15.8% No; 10.5% Don’t Know. • If you complete Risk Assessment Forms for your Departmental excavations/fieldwork/site-based projects from where do these forms originate: IfA (x2); Dept Pro-forma (x5); Uni H&S Office (x8); Self-devised (x2); no response (x3).

13. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey – H&S Training & Responsibility • Is there a person/s within the Department dedicated to H&S matters on excavations/fieldwork/site-based projects? 52.6% No; 47.4% Yes. • Are staff sufficiently well educated on matters of H&S on excavations / fieldwork / site-based projects and in the workplace generally? 55% Yes; 10% No; 35% Uncertain. • Is training available/provided for staff and/or students in key H&S areas (e.g. manual handling, working in confined spaces, working at height, use of plant/tools & equipment, use of fire-fighting equipment)? 77.8% Yes; 16.7% No; 5.6% Don’t Know.

14. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey – H&S Training & Responsibility • Does your Department/University brief staff and students on H&S issues prior to their undertaking excavations/fieldwork/site-based projects? 84.2% Yes; 10.5% No; 5.3% Don’t Know. • Are students sufficiently well educated on matters of H&S on excavations / fieldwork / site-based projects and in the workplace generally? 55% Uncertain; 35% Yes; 10% No. • Do staff and/or students undertake formal First Aid training? 85% Yes; 15% No. • On site, are staff and/or students inducted, and is this followed up by daily/regular H&S briefings and ‘toolbox talks’ (i.e. informal training sessions)? Yes 84.2%; No 10.5%; Don’t Know 5.3%.

15. Excavations & Confined Spaces Health & Welfare Personal Protective Equip. Noise & Vibration

16. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey – PPE & H&S Literature • Is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – such as boots, hardhats and gloves – provided by the Department/University for staff and/or students? 50% Yes; 50% No. • Are staff and/or students given training on the correct use of PPE? 57.9% Yes; 36.8% No; 5.3% Don’t Know. • Do you have up-to-date H&S literature/documentation on site for your staff/students to access? 66.7 Yes; 22.2 No; 11.1% Uncertain.

17. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey – CSCS Scheme & Professional Competency • Are any of your staff professionally competent in construction-site management, procedures & legislation? 52.6% No; 31.6% Yes; 15.8% Don’t Know. • Is your Department aware of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Card? 50% Yes; 15% No; 35% Don’t Know. • Do staff and/or students obtain a CSCS Card before working on your Departmental excavations/fieldwork/site-based projects? 89.5% No; 10.5% Don’t Know.

18. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey – Excavations Abroad • Does your Department undertake archaeological excavation work abroad with UK students? 80% Yes • Does your Department undertake archaeological fieldwork, such as earthwork survey, building survey, geophysical survey or field-walking abroad with UK students? 80% Yes • Do overseas staff/students/other (e.g. volunteers, local labour) participate in your archaeological site-based projects abroad (i.e. multi-national teams)? 89.5% Yes • Why are excavations outside the UK important? If an accident occurs involving a UK student the UK lecturer responsible for arranging the dig would be sued in the UK under UK law and held accountable to UK H&S legislation!

19. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey – Accidents & Accident Reporting • Is there a Site Policy for reporting accidents and/or dangerous occurrences and/or near misses (such as in an Accident Book) as required by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations [RIDDOR] (1995)? 84.2% Yes; 5.3% No; 10.5% Don’t Know. • Have there been any recorded accidents/near misses on your Departmental excavations in the last 5 years? x5 confirmed minor accidents/incidents in the last 5 years (but no details requested or given)

20. Results of the H&S in Uni Fieldwork Online Survey – Help Wanted From IfA & Industry?! • Is your Department registered with the Institute for Archaeologists (IfA)? 55.6% No; 44.4% Yes. • Are members of your lecturing/teaching staff or students corporate/non-corporate members of the IfA? 68.4% Yes; 21.1% Don’t Know; 10.5% No. • Would the Department find written guidance on H&S for archaeological/heritage projects useful? Yes 95%! • Would the Department welcome outside training for staff and/or students on matters of H&S (e.g. HSE, H&S consultants/professionals)? 50% Yes; 30% Uncertain; 20% No.

21. What fieldwork training we provide at UoB & why

22. Why provide fieldwork training? • ‘Graduate employability has recently moved to the fore in student recruitment…(but there remains) concern that graduate archaeologists are not universally equipped with the appropriate skills sets to make the transition into commercial, developer-funded archaeology.’ Archaeological Fieldwork Training: Provision and Assessment in Higher Education; Everill & Nicholls, 2011 • This was identified at least 29 years ago at a Young Archaeologists’ Conference in Southampton: ‘few, if any, of the [degree] courses were really seen, by those on them, as providing the necessary background for archaeological employment. One major factor in this was argued to be the perceived conflict between an archaeology degree as a general academic education and as an archaeological training. Put crudely, some archaeology degrees have little or no value for a student rash enough to want to follow a career in archaeology in Britain.’ Degree, digging, dole our future? Joyce et al 1987: 5

23. Why provide fieldwork training? • Excavation and, more broadly speaking, fieldwork have defined the discipline of archaeology since its earliest origins – fieldwork and archaeology go hand-in-hand. • If a student wants a career as a professional archaeologist an archaeology degree should provide the theoretical, methodological and practical background to ensure graduates can follow such a career. • Over the past fourteen years or so the professional sector has in numerous forums (e.g. IfA Conferences; Higher Education Academy [HEA] Subject Centre for Archaeology) requested that Universities equip students with an appropriate level of fieldwork practice.

24. At the IfA 2012 Conference • Session: Trenches and ivory towers: universities and commercial field archaeology • ‘Pedagogy and practice: the provision and assessment of archaeological fieldwork training in UK Higher Education’. Paul Everill, University of Winchester. • ‘Bridging the divide’. Amanda Forster, Institute for Archaeologists. • ‘A view from the inside – commercial archaeology in a Higher Education context’. Patrick Clay, University of Leicester Archaeological Services.

25. List of typical A&S UoB Ug Units At the heart of our BA Archaeology Degree Programme we now have three Mandatory Units which each have a 2 week (min.) excavation element attached for credit. In addition, as well as the 20 hrs of traditional classroom based teaching/lectures, each unit comprises an additional 10-20 hrs of practical training in aspects such as geophysics, earthwork survey, section and plan drawing, standing building recording, finds analysis etc. At the end of this programme each student will have accrued practical training = min. 8 wks / max. 14 wks, much of which is in the field.

26. Berkeley Castle ProjectCurrently UoB’s Main Ug Excavation/Fieldwork site where c.100 students per year gain practical archaeological field experience.

27. Berkeley Castle ProjectCurrently UoB’s Main Ug Excavation/Fieldwork site where c.100 students per year gain practical archaeological field experience.

28. What do we do at UoB in terms of H&S for Fieldwork/Excavation? Annual half day dig briefing with all students comprising lectures, demos & H&S video; Write an annual Project Design, containing interim report of last year’s fieldwork, produce a large annual H&S Policies and Procedures Document, and write a Set of Site Rules, all of which are put online for the students to read. The students have to sign a form agreeing that they have read and understood these documents and that they will abide by the site rules and regulations; Complete annual Risk Assessment Forms(IfA pro-forma) on site for all tasks to be undertaken and update these accordingly as the excavation/fieldwork progresses; Ensure adequate staff/student ratio on site at all times; Ensure that there is a Qualified First Aider on site at all times and that at least one registered IfA member is on site at all times. Provide ‘fit for purpose’ in-date PPE, continually monitor depth of trenches, etc. etc..

29. Be Safe Out There!

30. Question for Discussion • Should we be doing more in terms of H&S in FE/HE archaeological fieldwork and if so what?