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  1. Academic
Authority Source: Vice-Chancellor
Approval Date: 09/09/2024
Publication Date: 09/09/2024
Review Date: 09/09/2029
Effective Date: 01/01/2025
Custodian: Associate Director, Safety and Wellbeing
Contact: healthandsafety@canberra.edu.au
Accessibility: Public
Status: Published
In developing this policy the University had regard to the provisions of section 40B(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).
Field Trip Policy (effective 1 January 2025)
1. Purpose:
  1. This Policy outlines the principles of safe off-campus learning, assessment and research through field activities.
2. Scope:
  1. This Policy applies to all staff, students (including Honours, Masters and PhD students), volunteers and sub-contractors participating in University of Canberra (University) field activities.
  2. Work integrated learning (WIL) and study abroad is out of the scope of this Policy. For more information, see the University’s Work Integrated Learning Policy and Procedure and Global Learning Policy and Procedure.
3. Principles:
  1. The University is committed to providing a safe working and learning environment for its staff, students, volunteers and sub-contractors when learning, assessment and research is undertaken in the field.
  2. Travel requests and arrangements must be submitted and approved before field trips commence.
  3. Field trips must be risk assessed and risk managed.
  4. All field trip participants must receive appropriate training and information to ensure safe and responsible conduct before, during and after field trip activities.
  5. Reasonable adjustments are available for students with special circumstances.
  6. All incidents must be reported to the University. All notifiable incidents must also be reported to WorkSafe ACT. All incidents occurring on overseas field trips must also be reported through International SOS.
  7. Smoking is prohibited at all field trip locations, before, during and after engaging in field work activities.
  8. The consumption of drugs is prohibited at all field trip locations, before, during and after engaging in field work activities. Exceptions are made for prescription medication, but the work health and safety implications of consuming such medication (such as drowsiness) must be considered.
  9. Alcohol must not be consumed during the working elements of field trips. Outside of working hours, participants must ensure that alcohol consumption does not pose a threat to themselves or other participants, or negatively affect their work on the following day. After considering the student cohort, field trip location and environment, trip leaders may determine that no alcohol will be consumed at any time during the field trip.
  10. Staff and students participating in field trips officially organised and approved by the University are generally covered by the University’s insurance.
  11. Any fees and charges to students for field activities must be in accordance with the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth).
4. Responsibilities:
WHO RESPONSIBILITIES
Faculty Executive Dean, Head of School or Director of Research Centre/Institute
  • Facilitating risk management training for field trip leaders.
  • Approving proposed solo field trip work.
  • Approving Risk Management Strategies.
  • Approving a staff member, honours student or HDR student to work alone on a field trip.
  • Forwarding details of notifiable incidents to the University’s Health and Safety Officer.
  • Reporting all incidents involving students to the Dean of Students as soon as possible.
  • Investigating incidents and reviewing the field trip’s Risk Management Strategy.
Field Trip Leader
  • Submitting travel request forms.
  • Submitting to the faculty office the names, contact details, and next of kin names and contact details for all field trip participants.
  • Seeking approval from the Faculty Executive Dean, Head of School or Director of Research Centre/Institute for any proposed solo field trip work.
  • Conducting a risk assessment, preparing a Risk Management Strategy and submitting it to the Faculty Executive Dean, Head of School or Director of Research Centre/Institute for approval at least two weeks before the field trip.
  • Preparing an Emergency Response and Communication Plan as part of their Risk Management Strategy if the field trip is in a remote area.
  • For overseas field trips, contacting the University’s overseas assistance provider, International SOS, for emergency assistance.
  • Organising reasonable adjustments to ensure students with disabilities can participate in field trips.
  • Organising alternative arrangements for a student to meet course requirements if they cannot participate in a field trip, despite reasonable adjustments.
  • Providing all field trip participants with written details about the field trip.
  • Ensuring all field trip participants have been instructed in the use of any specialist equipment they will be required to use during the field trip.
  • Determining the number of first aid officers required for a field trip.
  • Ensuring that enough participants have been trained to apply compression bandages for fields trips where there will be a risk of snake bites.
  • Reporting all notifiable incidents and other work health and safety incidents to the appropriate Faculty Executive Dean, Head of School or Director of Research Centre/Institute.
  • Notifying the University’s Insurance Office at least 7 working days before field trips involving travel in helicopters or chartered aircraft.
  • Overseeing the safe and legal practices of field trip operations involving cars, boats/vessels, diving, aircraft, drones and animals.
Field Trip Participants
  • Reading and understanding all provided field trip information.
  • Providing relevant documentation in a timely manner.
  • Notifying the field trip leader of any pre-existing medical conditions.
  • Observing all work health and safety protocols in connection to the field trip.
  • Following all reasonable instructions from field trip leaders.
InclusionUC
  • Advising field trip leaders on reasonable adjustments for students.
5. Legislation:
  1. The following legislation is related to this Policy:
    1. Airspace Act 2007 (Cth)
    2. Child protection and working with children legislation for each jurisdiction
    3. Civil Aviation Act (CAA) 1988 (Cth)
    4. Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021
    5. Information Privacy Act 2016 (ACT)
    6. University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023
    7. Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth).
6. Supporting Information:
Policies and procedures
 
  1. The following Policies and Procedures are related to this Policy:
    1. Field Trip Procedure
    2. Global Learning Policy
    3. Global Learning Procedure
    4. Inclusive Access to Education Policy
    5. Privacy Policy
    6. Reasonable Adjustment Procedure
    7. Tobacco-Free University Policy
    8. Travel Policy
    9. Travel Procedure
    10. Work Health and Safety Policy
    11. Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Policy
    12. Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Procedure.
University resources
  1. The following University resources are related to this Policy:
    1. Field Trip Emergency Response and Communication Plan Template
    2. Field Trip Information Pack Template
    3. Field Trip Risk Assessment Checklist
    4. Field Trip Risk Management Strategy Template
    5. University of Canberra Risk Management Plan.
External resources
  1. The following external resources are related to this Policy:
  2. AS ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management
  3. Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks.
7. Definitions:
TERMS DEFINITIONS
Emergency Response and Communication Plan For field trips to remote locations, a summary of procedures for managing emergencies must be provided, together with emergency contact details, procedures for communicating including frequency of communication, and protocols for raising the alarm in an emergency.
Field Trip All approved teaching and research activities conducted off-campus (in Australia or overseas) that would normally require a risk assessment. Field trips can include field camps, day trips/excursions, and site visits. Field trips exclude work-integrated learning activities (internships and placements), lab work at other institutions, conferences, and other similar learning and research activities.
Field Trip Leader For undergraduate field trips this is generally the Unit Convener, but in some cases this responsibility may be delegated to another staff member.

For research activities, including field trips undertaken by honours students, the research supervisor is the field trip leader, or their approved delegate (such as another University staff member or a suitably experienced student appropriate to the field trip’s risk level).
Participant A staff member, student, volunteer, or contractor attending a field trip or engaging in field work.
Remote Area A location on land or water that is separated from an urban centre by distance, terrain, access, time and/or communication networks. Emergency assistance would be delayed in reaching the field trip location. Note that distance is not the only criterion for remoteness – for example, a forested mountain next to a large population centre would also meet the definition of ‘remote’ because of the difficulty of access for emergency services.
Risk Management Strategy Includes a summary of work to be done on the field trip relevant to the risk, an assessment and evaluation of risks and strategies for their management.
Volunteer A person whose participation in the field trip is not related to their paid work or student/course requirements.