Outdoor & Remote Field Research

You are automatically registered if you book travel using UC’s central travel service Connexxus; otherwise, you should register trips over 100 miles from campus via the website UC Away. Shortly after registration you will receive an email with UC travel insurance numbers and a destination-specific “trip brief.” If conditions change during your trip (e.g. approaching storm, disease outbreak, heightened security), you will receive updated alerts via email with specific guidance for your location. You may also access iJet’s travel intelligence reports directly by logging in to the Worldcue Trip Planner or by downloading the mobile app Worldcue.

For field work in remote locations - or hazardous work off campus - develop a field safety plan with site information and emergency procedures. Many researchers including biologists, archeologists and engineers are using handheld satellite devices that provide GPS-tracking and emergency SOS features, for example Spot Messengers or the Delorme Inreach that supports 2-way texting globally via satellite. Your field safety plan serves as a hazard assessment tool and can include No Go criteria, refer to other protocols or training, and be used to brief your field team or course participants on trip logistics and precautions. Berkeley’s Field Safety Plan template is available as an example; or contact your campus EH&S office for guidance.

Wilderness First Aid training available on or near many campuses is an excellent option for outdoor field work and/or travel to developing countries. Basic 4-hour first aid training is also available on most campuses and Heat Illness Prevention training is now available online via the UC Learning Center (search using the keyword “heat”; course length is 15-20 minutes; or contact your EH&S office).

Customize the kit for your location and tasks, replenish expired materials and carry extra disposable gloves. The lightweight NOLS 4.0 med kit is a good option for outdoor work, and includes supplies for wound care, burns, and blisters; bleeding/CPR; fractures, sprains; various medications and instruments, including an irrigation syringe and povidone iodine, shears, and even a small roll of duct tape. Additional items suggested by field researchers include OcuFresh eyewash, oral rehydration salts, insect repellent, high altitude prevention medicine, a lightweight emergency blanket, extra Moleskin, a Samsplint and epinephrine autoinjectors (prescription required).

Consult with reliable local contacts, check State Department warnings, and review a “security brief” for your destination, available via the Worldcue Trip Planner. If you’re teaching a field course or leading a trip, review precautions and expectations before your trip, e.g. regarding free time, leaving the group, alcohol and drug use, local crime risks, and situational awareness. Concise, clear messages keep your group aware. Effective leaders brief at the start of the day, at the start of an activity, and as conditions change. For high-risk destinations, please consult with Phillip Van Saun.