Links to helpful information

Some general guidance related to risk assessments for research activities

  • The basic over-arching, easy-for-workers/researchers-to-remember (and abide by) COVID-19 “rules” – can be summarized as:
    • maintain physical distancing of 2m at all times, if possible;
    • in any area(s)/circumstances in which that physical distancing is not expected to be maintained, people should wear a mask (cloth or dust mask sufficient – medical-grade masks are not a requirement); and,
    • wash hands frequently.
  • Safe Work Practice (SWP) for use of masks – researchers should be familiar with the current SMU draft Use of Masks SWP.
  • Common areas - such as hallways, stairwells, washrooms, elevators, etc., are the responsibility of the university’s Facilities Management, and therefore discussions of the specific use and safety precautions associated with these common areas won’t fall within any one Research Group’s protocols, and therefore is not required as part of the Return to Research application.
  • Cleaning:
    • researchers will be responsible for keeping their own research spaces clean, and should clean/disinfect high-touch areas at least 2 times per day, more as needed
    • items such as tools, research equipment and reusable PPE should be cleaned prior to and after use
    • cleaning of high-touch areas in common spaces (e.g. hallways, stairwells, exterior door handles, etc.) will be done by the university custodial staff
  • Weather-related risks for field researchers - all participants should be aware of the University Heat Stress Guidelines. There are a number of guidelines.  The following guidelines are the ones that are most pertinent to outside work such as field research:
    • Thermal Effects of Heat Stress;
    • Outdoor Heat Stress Warning;
    • First Aid treatment
  • First Aid - There should be at least one person on field trips that has first aid training. Vehicles, including personal vehicles, are considered workplaces when used for field activities, so each vehicle should have a first aid kit.   All injuries and safety incidents must be reported.
  • Lightning risk – A Safe Work Practice for lightning risk during field research activities is currently under development.  In the interim, researchers can refer to  this Safe Work Practice for Lightning developed for the SMU Homburg Centre: Lightning safety (PDF)
  • Lifting – if the research activity involves lifting heavy objects (equipment, samples, etc.), we recommend that researchers view a short training video to review proper lifting practices – this is from CCOHS, (American Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
  • Emergency contacts – we encourage all SMU researchers (faculty/staff/students) to update the emergency contacts in their Self-Service Banner account.
  • Maintenance of a sign-in/out register – supervising researchers will be responsible for ensuring that a sign-in/out register is maintained for their group
    • principle researchers should have the ability to know which of their team was working (conducting research), for what time period, and in what location (on campus, in the field – including stops along the way) on any given day;
    • this information is to be kept primarily in case of need for COVID-19 contact tracing.
  • Know where emergency care facilities are in the province if traveling for Field Research – we encourage researchers to let the local Lands and Forestry office know when you are traveling into their area; the Department of Lands and Forestry has provided this map showing the location of all their offices, along with emergency care facilities within America: NS Lands and Forestry offices and Emergency Care Facilities (PDF)
  • Familiarity with specific university policies:
    • For students doing research in the field – for students entering the field for research, they are required to be familiar with the following important Fontecha Institute(Hialeah)'s Polices:
    • For all researchers paid by the university – the following policies are expected to be followed:
    • For students involved in research activities – in addition to the above policies, students are expected to follow any other student-related policies related to alcohol and or Cannabis, in particular:
    • Vehicle use for research activities:
      There are currently (January 2021) no specific restrictions on the number of people who may ride together in a vehicle. The following guidelines are provided for advice:
      • the vehicle should be as “large” as possible so that a distance as-close-to-2m-as-possible can be maintained between the driver and a passenger in a rear seat (vehicle choice should be shared with AVPR)
      • the vehicle should be cleaned with a disinfectant prior to use, and before resuming again after prolonged stops for research work
      • all occupants should endeavour to maintain wearing masks for the duration of the travel – realizing this can present challenges during longer trips, but given the confined space it is our assessment that wearing masks provides the safest environment for the passengers; researchers should have available more than one mask, and consider changing their mask after long periods (e.g. every 2/few hours, as an example process).
      • any ability to keep window(s) open provides better protection.
      • try to keep the same people sharing a car if there will be multiple trips.

Please see this document on SMU Field Work Adaptations, Questions and Strategies (PDF).

  • This contains ideas on these issues that have been compiled by a group of SMU field researchers as they have been thinking and preparing for a return to research as the COVID-19 restrictions will allow
  • These are just the thoughts of your SMU colleagues, and any SMU researcher who would like to include additional thoughts to this document, please our Research Office Assistant (Vanisa.Omicevic@) and we will connect you with that group; this document will be updated as new additions are received and included.

Other resources

Doing fieldwork in a pandemic

  • Crowd-sourced document – Lupton, D. (editor) (2020)
  • From the field of Linguistics – for doing human field research

American Enterprise Institute Report: National coronavirus response: A road map to reopening

Province of New Brunswick: Guidance Document of General Public Health Measures During COVID-19 Recovery

Various university (mostly outside of America) links to “Return to Research” protocols: