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Risk assessment+: “Don’t be afraid to address topics that are shrouded by social taboos”

20 Sep 2024 | Professor Fraser Mitchell, Trinity College Dublin Ahead of celebrating 10 years of Athena Swan in Ireland, we’re sharing case studies of good practice from Athena Swan awardees. Here, Professor Fraser Mitchell, Trinity College Dublin, shares their new approach to risk assessment for field trips to address concerns about facilities – with sanitation associated with menstruation a particular concern for students unable/apprehensive about raising in advance of trips.

Overview

The School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, was awarded an Athena Swan Silver award in 2023. The School runs up to 20 residential student field trips each year. In the Athena Swan application we reported the development of a health and safety protocol that took due account of student wellbeing on field trips. 

The School of Natural Sciences includes the disciplines of Botany, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology and Zoology. It employs 125 staff (48 academic, 30 professional, 47 research) who deliver eight undergraduate and six postgraduate taught degree programmes. The student gender proportion is around 67% female, 33% male. 

All programmes include an element of field-based teaching. The School was awarded Athena Swan Bronze awards in 2015 and 2018 and a Silver award in 2023. 

The initiative

The School has maintained a robust health and safety protocol for field- based teaching for many years. The Self Assessment Team (SAT) reviewed the protocol and realised that it was focused almost exclusively on risk reduction, and response, to personal injury. There was very limited attention given to wellbeing. 

Through consultation with students it was apparent that many had been particularly anxious about field trips due to ignorance of the environment they would be in, accommodation arrangements and the limited availability of toilet facilities. Sanitation associated with menstruation was a particular concern and one that students felt unable/apprehensive to raise in advance of trips.  

The issue arose through consultation with students. Two members of the SAT, an academic and a postdoctoral research fellow followed up with consultation with staff across the School and then significant interaction with the School Safety Officer and Safety Committee. The progress of these consultations was reviewed at each SAT meeting. This culminated in a new field trip health and safety protocol. The whole process took about one year from inception to conclusion and required no additional input of resources.  

Selected features of the new protocol to highlight:

  • the new protocol is brought to the attention of students in pre-trip meetings
  • toileting breaks are now timetabled into the day itineraries
  • segregated female and male toileting locations are announced when in remote locations
  • students are made aware that all first aid kits contain a supply of sanitary products
  • students are introduced to a female member of staff on each trip who will assist students and liaise with the trip leader on any issues.

The new protocol was then live tested by another member of the SAT on a field trip. This trip occurred as the Athena Swan application was being finalised and so did not form part of the data presentation in the application. 

“Although this initiative covers more than just menstrual health and wellbeing, once the issue of menstruation while on field trips was raised it became obvious that it was significant issue that was not being addressed, although it caused significant anxiety. This also provided us with the opportunity to consider the wider aspects of wellbeing for students from diverse backgrounds while on field trips.”  

What’s changed?

This initiative aims to reduce student anxiety associated with field trips and provide an environment where they can engage fully with academic and social aspects of the trip. It thus fosters inclusivity from both gender and diversity perspectives. 

Data on student experience with their engagement with this initiative are currently being gathered by the SAT. Anecdotal feedback from the first cohort of students who engaged with the initiative was universally positive. 

Key barriers and facilitators

The field trips run by the School are extremely diverse in terms of location, duration, accommodation type and environment. It is thus impossible to mandate for every likely scenario. Ultimately it is up to the staff leading the trip to implement the initiative as they see fit. 

Upon completion of the trip the students provide evaluation feedback and this provides a valuable source of feedback on the efficacy of the protocol. Targeted engagement with students by the SAT also provides an opportunity to critically review the protocol.   

The future

This initiative is now embedded in the health and safety protocol administered by the School so it will continue. The SAT is currently collecting data and feedback from staff and students on this initiative. This will be reviewed as part of the ongoing work of the SAT and, where appropriate, modifications to the protocol will be made. It is anticipated that this process will be reported in the next Athena Swan application.  

Advice for others

“Don’t be afraid to address topics that are shrouded by social taboos.”

Fraser Mitchell is Professor in Quaternary Ecology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin. The University is a member of Advance HE.

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