Before setting off on a field trip to collect data or samples, it is important to plan carefully. What equipment do you need to take? In what order should the work be done? Which route should you take? What accommodation should you use? What will you eat? How much material should you collect? You need to plan thoroughly so that all these questions are answered, as well as any others that may arise. It is a good idea to write all this down and update the plan after the trip, so that any problems can be avoided for the next time.
People often make many trips to the same location and issues are gradually ironed out until the work seems to almost do itself – careful planning saves time.
Iceland is a small island in the North Atlantic and the weather can be inhospitable. The weather is one of the biggest risk factors for travel in Iceland and it is wise to stay up to date with weather forecasts and warnings from the Icelandic Meteorological Office. You should never set out on a trip in Iceland without consulting the weather forecast, particularly if you are planning to head up into the highlands or travelling during the winter. You can never be too careful.
The Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue, is a wonderful volunteer organisation that will respond quickly if you get into trouble, but you want to be sure that you're not calling people out to rescue you because you didn't check the weather forecast. That would be embarrassing!
Stay up to date with the weather forecast from the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Also, keep an eye on information on road traffic and conditions on the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (IRCA) website for information about road conditions, as well as weather information and webcams that can help you get a sense of the conditions.
The vehicle you choose for the trip must be properly equipped for the terrain. You need to make sure that it is safe and suitable so that everyone is likely to make it back in one piece. Generally, a vehicle that has been certified roadworthy is considered safe, but you should check that the vehicle's safety features are appropriate for the trip before using it for fieldwork.
The Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue run a website safetravel.is, where you can learn about road safety in Iceland, vehicle features and driving in Icelandic conditions. The website is available in five different languages and the information provided is extremely thorough. It provides a great starting point and you should encourage any foreign visitors planning to drive in Iceland to look over the website before setting off.
The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (IRCA) website provides information about road and weather conditions that should be taken into consideration.
Risk assessments should always be conducted for fieldwork. It is quite common for a research project to involve many field trips to the same area, using similar working procedures, meaning that a single risk assessment can apply to all these trips. A risk assessment is a method used to find weak spots in a plan and plan responses in advance. A risk assessment should also use defined criteria, for example: The trip will be cancelled if the Met Office issues a yellow warning for the area. Let's take an example. Three risk factors for fieldwork are listed above: planning, weather and driving. What could go wrong?
Planning:
Risk: People can be forgetful and there is a risk that instruments or equipment will be forgotten.
Answer:The equipment list is checked before setting off.
Weather:
Risk: It might start raining.
Answer: Everyone will take waterproof clothing and spare socks. Spare socks are important!
Driving:
Risk: The car could run out of petrol.
Answer: Fill up the tank before setting off.
Much of this is self-explanatory and we naturally conduct risk assessments and respond to potential risks all the time. Just crossing the road is a good example. You do a risk assessment, i.e. looking both ways. Respond based on defined criteria, i.e. if you see a car coming, you wait until it has passed and when it is safe, you cross the road. Sometimes it is helpful to use specific safety equipment to control the risk, in this case a pedestrian crossing and crossing lights.
These are very simple examples, of course, but should give you an idea of how to think when conducting a risk assessment.