New Field Research Safety Training 2024

The U of A is a proud and successful research leader that promotes integration of research and teaching in our programs. An integral aspect of research is field research, which gives researchers firsthand experience and knowledge about the subjects they study.

At the U of A, field research includes the following activities:

• Any off-campus research activity undertaken by members of the university staff, students, postdoctoral fellows, volunteers and faculty to collect, generate or analyze all forms of data, including but not limited to environmental, biological, archival, ethnographical, anthropological, library or other research (e.g. laboratory research conducted by a member of the university community at a host institution, reconnaissance field trips to locate suitable field sites or visit an industrial or construction site for hazard assessment)
• Field trips and field schools carried out nationally or internationally

It does NOT include travel to conferences that do not include research activities.

The close-up and hands-on approach to research in everyday life and all varieties of surroundings means that field researchers can obtain detailed data about our environments, information vitally important to our studies, and to growing our knowledge. It also means that field researchers are exposed to their surroundings, making planning and training all the more important in ensuring field research is conducted as safely as possible.

NEW FIELD RESEARCH TRAINING FOR 2024 

New field safety requirements this year include updated pre-fieldwork documentation (e.g., addendum to the Field Activities Plan, revised risk matrix) and new online and in-person training.

Important notes:

• To learn about the new tools and processes, all field researchers must complete the following mandatory training prior to beginning field work:
  • Field Research Safety eLearning (2-3 hours): Research groups should complete the training together if possible as there are discussion points throughout (you may log in through one account and complete the course as a group).
  • Field Research Safety in-person session (3-hour sessions; registration available here; eLearning must be completed prior to taking the in-person session.)
• The online course delves into hazard assessment and controls, field level hazard assessments and emergency response planning during field research.
• The in-person training is an opportunity to apply the principles from the online course, completing activities related to hazard assessment, incident and emergency response.

For more information about new and enhanced requirements for field research safety, visit the Field Research Pre-Planning page or contact fieldoff@ualberta.ca