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Possible Project Hazards and Suggestions for Preventative Measures
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Hazard  Possible Preventative Measures to Follow
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ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
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Temperature Extremes • Check weather forecast before starting fieldwork
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• Clothing and outerwear (e.g., jackets, snow or rain pants, etc.) selected for fieldwork should be chosen based on the expected temperatures and weather conditions
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• Pack and carry clothing for a range of possible conditions and temperatures.
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• Limit how much time you spend in very warm environments, and take regular breaks in cool environments to cool down (e.g., air conditioned vehicles or buildings)
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• Limit how much time you spend in very cold environments, and take regular breaks in warm environments to warm up (e.g., inside shelters, indoors, etc.)
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• Information on how much time to spend working and resting ("taking breaks") during warm and cold weather can be found at the Canadian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health website (https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/)
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Changing Weather Conditions (e.g., weather extremes, ice breakup, etc.)• Check weather forecast regularly, check for special weather statements
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• Don't travel when changing weather conditions could create additional hazards (e.g., very warm or very cold), if possible.
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• Avoid travelling on ice during seasonal periods when it could be thin or breaking up.
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• Take shelter in rapidly changing weather conditions when possible, to avoid exposure to possible hazards (e.g., sudden heavy rain, hail, snow, sleet, strong wind gusts, etc.), unless stopping travel would increase team member risk
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Sun Exposure – sunburn, sunstroke, skin cancer• Wear wide-brimmed hats.
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• Wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants made of lightweight, breathable materials
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• Wear and regularly re-apply sunscreen on exposed skin.
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• Limit time spent with skin exposed to direct sunlight. Put up shelters to create shade where needed.
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Dehydration• Carry and drink water regularly, especially doing heavy, physical work
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• Carry a water purification device, tablets, or a way to boil water to avoid running out of drinking water.
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Working in or near water• Think about water temperature and take steps to maintain body temperature when in water.
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• Wear a drysuit/wetsuit (as appropriate) when working in or near cold water and where falling into or getting into cold water is likely.
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• Wear a life preserver whenever possible to prevent drowning.
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• Have a whistle or other way to signal for help attached to your body.
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Crossing swift water• Do not cross fast flowing water, no matter how deep or shallow, unless it is the only option in a life-threatening or emergency situation, the water depth is known to be shallow across the whole river where you will cross, sudden increases in water level are no expected (e.g., it is not raining or the snowmelt season), and the vehicle you are using is designed to be able to cross rivers.
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(Even ankle-deep water can sweep you off your feet and downstream or move a vehicle).
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Working in wet conditions• Wear waterproof, breathable outerwear (e.g., jackets, rain pants, etc.).
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• Have a set of dry clothing to change into when the work is done.
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• Limit how much time you spend in wet and cold conditions, and take regular breaks in dry, warm conditions, to limit the chance of getting hypothermia (see Temperature Extremes above)
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• Limit how much time you spend in hot and humid conditions, particulrly when doing hard, physical work, and take regular breaks in cooler conditions, to the limit chance of heat-related illnesses (see Temperature Extremes above)
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• Check that ground is stable and you have good grip underfoot before working on surfaces that might be unstable or slippery when wet.
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Working on ice• Avoid travelling on ice that could be too thin to support the weight.
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• Check the depth of ice before working on it or moving heavy equipment/vehicles onto it.
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• Wear ice grippers to increase grip underfoot.
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Avalanches• When working in areas with the chance for avalanches to occur, consider the use of avalanche locator devices or beacons (sometimes these can be part of outerwear).
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• Don't travel through areas where you could be buried by an avalanche whenever possible.
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Forest Fires• Carry a fire blanket.
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• Plan field camp locations in locations where there are many routes to escape during an evacuation, ideally with escape being possible in several different directions (e.g. to north of camp and to south of camp).
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• Avoid lighting campfires if the fire danger index is high, in high-wind conditions, or if it would not be possible to fully extinguish the fire before leaving
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Working at heights• Stay at least 2 metres (six feet) away from edges without fences or other protection, and where you could fall far enough to hurt yourself (or further than allowed under provincial/territorial health and safety legislation), unless you are wearing appropriate fall-arrest equipment that is attached to an anchor point capable of supporting the force of the person against the during a fall (e.g., rock climbing anchor that can support the weight of the team member if they fall).
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• Check fall arrest equipment for damage before every use.
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• Put up barriers to limit access to unsafe edges of surfaces/dropoffs, or put up markers away from the edge to warn that it is there.
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Working on or near uneven or loose terrain or on steep slopes• Don't work on loose or uneven ground or slopes whenever possible.
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• Where this can't be avoided, always keep an eye on your surroundings, including what is above and below you (e.g. rocks could fall and hit you from above, or you could accidentally drop rocks on others below you)
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• Wear sturdy hiking boots with aggressive treads and full ankle support.
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• Consider using of walking sticks or ways to increase your balance and stability.
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ANIMAL/PLANT HAZARDS
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Insect Stings/Bites – allergy and disease risks• Wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants.
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• Wear bug spray.
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• Use bug nets.
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• Team members prescribed with an epi-pen should always carry it with them.
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• Train team members on how to respond to serious allergic responses, including use of an epi-pen if any team members have one
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• Train team members on how to recognize and properly remove ticks.
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Large Animal Attack/Bites/Mauling (e.g., polar bears, bears, wolves, cougars, etc.) • Carry bear spray and bear bangers and know how to use them.
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• Make noise with a whistle, bell, etc. regularly to scare away predators and other dangerous animals.
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• Only trained team members should carry firearms to defend against animal attacks.
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• Train team members on how to deal with wildlife encounters (particularly bear encounters).
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• Check that all team members have up to date rabies vaccinations.
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Bites from Poisonous/Venomous Animals (e.g., snakes)• Provide training to team members on how to recognize and avoid venomous snakes, if they could be present.
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• Wear gaiters to protect ankles and lower legs from snake bites.
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Reactions to Poisonous/Stinging Plants • Wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants.
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• Team members prescribed with an epi-pen should always carry it with them.
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• Train team members on how to respond to serious allergic responses, including use of an epi-pen.
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Dead Trees/Tree Branches – falling hazard• Remain vigilant at all times, and regularly look up to check for hazards while travelling through densely-treed areas.
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• Do not travel through areas where forest fires have occurred or containing large numbers of dead trees.
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HUMAN-RELATED HAZARDS
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Use of all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles _Vehicle_Safety
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Use of cars, trucks, etc._Vehicle_Safety
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Boat operation_Vehicle_Safety
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Slips, Trips and Falls • Wear sturdy hiking boots with aggressive treads and full ankle support.
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• Don't walk on slippery surfaces, where possible
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• Wear ice grippers when walking on ice.
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Firearms Hazards • Provide training to anyone on the team who will carry and potentially operate a firearm; only trained individuals may carry, touch or use firearms.
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• Firearms should be carried and stored in a safe manner at all times (e.g., with the safety on).
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Drone Hazards • Provide training to all drone operators; only trained operators should operate drones.
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• Don't operate drones near other persons, animals or equipment, or where the drone could be damaged and go out of control.
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• Operate drones in two-person teams, with an operator and a spotter.
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Crossing private property - potential for (possibly violent) conflict with owner• Warn property owners if you are will cross their property well before travelling.
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• Advise owners again just before entering their property, where possible.
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Interactions with hunters • Check if there is a hunting season when the fieldwork will take place
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• Listen for sounds of ongoing hunting, watch for signs of previous hunting (e.g., bullets, shells or cartridges or animal traps)
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• Wear bright, high-visibility clothing so a hunter doesn't think you are an animal
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Theft/loss of equipment/supplies• Keep valuable items locked up as much as possible
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Hand Tool/Power Tool Safety• Don't use tools except how they were designed to be used
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• Don't modify tools unless approved by the tool manufacturer
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• Use ergonomically-designed tools for tasks that require lots of the same repeated motion
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• Store tools safely when not being used; keep sharp-edged tools protected when not being used
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• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment to protect you when using hand/power tools (e.g., eye protection, hand protection, long clothing, etc.)
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• For vibrating power tools (e.g., chainsaws) wear protective, vibration dampening gloves.
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• Wear hearing protection when using tools that make lots of noise.
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Fire Safety• Completely put out all fires in an area before leaving them.
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• Put out cigarettes fully with water when finished with them, unless put directly into a fire pit.
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• Do not start fires (e.g., campfires) under very dry conditions or when there are forest firing warnings or fires are not allowed under the current fire index.
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Lithium-Ion Batteries – fire/explosion hazard• Do not charge any device with a lithium-ion battery if you can see the device has bulged or expanded.
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