:: Basic Health and Safety Advice for Archaeology

:: (updated July 2005)

:: Basic Health and Safety :: BAJR Advice ::

Introduction

It is essential that all field and office work is carried out safely, and that everyone is
aware of any potential problems and the site-specific health and safety issues.

These guidelines are a basic level of health and Safety requirements, if you feel that
you are working in conditions you feel are unsafe, then you are fully entitled (and
required) to bring this to the attention of the site director/manager or senior figure.
Request to see the Health and Safety Manual, as every legitimate Contractor should
have one. We are well past the day of the COWBOY - you are now a
PROFESSIONAL.

Never think that a Health and Safety issue can be ignored! In 2002 in England alone,
105 people died and over 4500 were severely injured on building sites, the statistics
rise to over 10,500 of people that sustained an injury that was bad enough to keep
them off work for over a week.

It is NOT worth the risk. ->--KEEP SAFE !!! -<-

Excavations

An excavation is a lot like a working building site and very often is located in one.
Many of the rules that apply to the building trade apply to you as well. Watch out for
dangers such as - moving machines - loose ladders - dodgy barrow runs - tools -
electric cables and of course deep trenches.

Think about what type of soil you are working in, a sand section is a lot less stable
than clay sided one , a rubble section has the added danger of falling debris. Always
access the safety of your trench before going in - it is your life. I know personally of a
digger who died in a trench only 1m deep.. So be smart! You may need shoring after
only 80cm - there is no specified depth now. The situation of a trench may change
depending on weather, size of spoilheap, heavy machinery passing by.

Sites, must have a plan, which should detail all of the health, safety and sanitary
services on site - if you are on a site that does not have a document explaining the
Health & Safety, and at least a rudimentary induction with Risk Assessment, then
ask why.... it is your right. (worried about losing your job?... Then give the BAJR
Hotline a call! 0787 6528 498 – or [email protected] )

Make sure you are trained in all the tools you are expected to use, which might be a
pickaxe, a mattock, a wheelbarrow or whatever... you would be amazed at the
number of people who use a pickaxe in the wrong way (and often too close to their
fellow workers... believe me a pick axe hurts when you are hit with one!!). It is very
easy to use a shovel in a way that means you will spend the REST of your life with a
damaged back. Mind your knees as well... You only get one body... look after it. (I
have ripped lower back muscles and ruined knees.. believe me it is NOT funny!)

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Spoil heaps should not be allowed to creep ever closer to the edge of your trench.
Just think about the weight pressing down on that section; if you want a collapse then
that’s a good way to go about it. Debris and stones will also roll off the spoil heap and
straight into your trench - a Hard Hat only protects your head (tell me you are
wearing a Hard Hat!!). Make sure the spoil heap is secure.

If you are asked to use machinery - whether that is a jack-hammer or a generator,

make sure that you are trained in their use. It is never good enough to think you know
how to operate a tool because you once watched someone use it. The same is true
for mechanical plant - Trained personnel only, just because you drove to site in a
Mini Metro does not mean you can operate a mini digger!

• Protective clothing that may be required:

• Hard Hats (recommended)
• Gloves (good idea)
• Waterproof clothing (good idea)
• Steel toe capped footwear (recommended)
• Hi-Viz Vests (good idea on a building site)
• Tough clothing (good old army & navy) (essential)
• Change of socks (hey... I like warm dry feet!)

If you are on a site, you should have access to both shelter (from either the sun or
from rain - it is the UK after all) AND toilet facilities. If you have an onsite toilet
remember that you need one for males AND one for females. It is important that you
keep any onsite shelters, huts and toilets clean and tidy (see Working in Offices
below) and follow all recommended guidelines for each structure. Adequate fire-
fighting appliances must be maintained in places where gas is in use - such as
cooking facilities and heaters. It is also useful to have a place to wash your hands,
this is for general hygiene and to allow the trained First Aider to use the First Aid Kit
in sterile conditions - as grubby hands tend to cause more damage when smeared
across open wounds!

Know where the First Aid Kit is (which should contain a number of sterile adhesive
dressings, eye pads and coverings, triangular bandages, safety pins, various sizes of
sterile unmediated dressings, disposable gloves, an advice card, and at least 300 ml
of sterile water/saline) and who is trained to use it - it can be useful to have an idea
where the nearest doctor or hospital A&E is located (including the phone number)

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Field survey

Many of the hazards to be encountered on survey are the same as those

encountered on excavations and many of the same safety rules apply. Additional
points to remember concerning field survey are: i) wear stout footwear; ii) wear
appropriate clothing (eg. long trousers in thorny scrub country); iii) always keep within
a reasonable distance of the next fieldwalker, and in any case within shouting
distance; iv) each survey group, when in the field, must carry a First Aid kit with them;
v) always be aware of the nature of the terrain and exercise appropriate caution.
Skin protection
Excessive sunburn and heat stroke can be avoided by reducing the exposure of
untanned skin to hot sunlight, and by regularly applying high factor sun-cream.
Skin irritation is caused by chemical agents such as petrol, paraffin, some solvents,
tar and pitch, lubricating oils, and cement dust. It can be avoided by washing
regularly, wearing proper gloves, using appropriate barrier creams, and antiseptic
hand cleansers and clean towels.
In some cases, cuts and scratches to the skin may lead to infection and even to
tetanus, which has been known to be fatal. All site personnel should therefore
undertake a course of anti-tetanus injections; and all personnel should ensure that
any cuts and abrasions to the skin are well covered by a suitable dressing before
they start work.

:: Office Work ::

Rooms in which people work should not be overcrowded (as a general rule, each
person working in an office needs 3.7 sq.m. of clear space). A reasonable
temperature must be maintained in every room (defined as not less than 16 degrees
Celsius, which must be achieved after the first hour of working).
Effective means of ventilation by the circulation of fresh air must be provided, as
must suitable and sufficient lighting.
If you normally work sitting down, you must be provided with seats, which are
suitable in design, construction and dimensions for both the worker and the kind of
work done.
At the end of each working day non-essential electrical appliances are to be switched
off and their wall socket plugs removed.
Fire doors must be kept closed at all times and must not be jammed or wedged open.

(This article is based on Archaeology: An Introduction - 4th Edition 2002 by Kevin

Greene available online at http://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/kevin.greene/wintro/ ) The base
content has been altered and enhanced with permission, and many thanks to Kevin
Greene for this.

Additional Material:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf
5 steps to Risk Assessment – HSE

Basic Health and Safety from www.bajr.org

Risk Assessment

Step 1. List hazards specific to your area of study

Look only for hazards which you could reasonably expect to result in
significant harm e.g. slipping/tripping, falling masonry, cliffs etc.

Step 2. Who might be harmed?

Think of the people or the individuals doing similar work or being in the same
place (e.g. the general public) who may be affected by your actions. List those at risk
from 1.

Step 3. Is the risk of injury adequately controlled?

Have you taken precautions to reduce the risks from the hazards listed above
as far as is reasonably practical?.

Step 4. List controls to these hazards in the following order of effectiveness:

a) Removed risks:
b) Prevention of access/reduction of exposure to hazard
c) Use of protective equipment/first aid kit

Step 5. Continually review the situation to deal with changing circumstances

Risk Assessment Documents from the IFA :

• Risk Assessment Template - Guidance Notes (Document in Word format)

• Risk Assessment: Minor works (Document in Word format)
• Risk Assessment: Larger Projects (Document in Word format)

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Start by identifying hazards in categories:

a) mechanical
b) electrical
c) substances
d) fire and explosion.

Hazard prompt list (this is only a start!)

During work activities could the following hazards exist? …

a) slips/falls on the level
b) falls from heights
c) falls of tools, materials etc from heights
d) inadequate headroom
e) hazards associated with manual lifting/handling of tools, materials etc.
f) hazards from plant and machinery associated with assembly, commissioning, operation,
maintenance, modification, repair and dismantling
g) vehicle hazards, covering both site transport and travel by road
h) fire and explosion;
i) no safety barrier around trenches ; unsafe trenches
j) substances that may be inhaled
k) susbstances or agents that may damage the eye
l) substances that may cause harm by coming into contact with or being absorbed through the
skin
m) substances that may cause harm by being ingested (i.e. entering the body via the mouth)
n) inadequate washing facilities
o) work-related upper limb disorders resulting from frequently repeated tasks (ie whitefinger)
p) inadequate thermal environment, i.e. too hot or too cold !
q) lighting levels
r) slippery, uneven ground/surfaces
t) contractors' activities.
Etc etc

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RISK LEVEL ESTIMATION

Estimated risk level is based on the potential severity of the harm and the likelihood that the
harm will occur. Estimating the potential severity of harm
When attempting to establish the potential severity of harm two main issues need to be
considered.

i) The affected parts of the body in term of either acute trauma injury (eg. burn, cuts,
amputations etc) or chronic ill-health effects (eg. emphysema, musculoskeletal disorders,
cancer etc.)

ii) The nature of harm. This can range from slightly to extremely harmful:

•
• Slightly harmful, eg. minor cuts and bruises, mucuous membrane and eye
irritation from dusts; nuisance and irritation, eg. headaches, eye strain, temporary
discomfort.
•
• Harmful, eg. lacerations, minor burns, minor concussion, minor fractures; temporary
deafness, dermatitis, work-related upper limb disorders, ill-health leading to
temporary disability.
•
• Very harmful, eg. deep laceration, serious concussion, serious sprains; severe
dermatitis, ill-health leading to permanent disability, permanent deafness, asthma.
•
• Extremely harmful, eg. amputations, major fractures, loss of sight (total or partial),
poisoning, fatal injuries; life-shortening diseases, eg. occupational cancer, fatal
diseases.

Estimating the likelihood of the harm occurring

Likelihood is a combination of many factors and these include:

• Number of people exposed to potential harm.

• (ie. Number of people who use ladder)
• Frequency of exposure to risk.
• (ie Number of times ladder is used per day)
• Duration of exposure to risk.
• (ie length of time spent on ladder)
• Potential failure of services and protective control measures.
• (ie chance of ladder securing material failing)
• Use of personal protective equipment.
• (ie PPE equipment protecting user against fall from ladder)
• Human behaviour, eg. deliberate or intentional unsafe acts.
• (ie carrying equipment up ladder leaving only one hand free to climb)

When estimating risk one must consider all the people who can be exposed to the
harm created by the hazard. Therefore any hazard is more serious if it affects a
greater number of people.

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Deciding tolerance to the risk

Once the potential severity and likelihood have been considered it is necessary to
decide on tolerance to the risk.
Tolerance is concerned with setting priorities and resources commitment
Tolerable means either the risk is estimated to be at a level which can be accepted
for the time being and is not greatly over that which would be expected in normal
daily life in general, or that it has already been reduced to the lowest level that is
reasonably practicable.

Table 1: Risk Level Decision (score ranges from 1-8)

1 2 3 4
Slightly Harmful Harmful Very Harmful Extremely
Harmful
1
Highly Trivial Trivial Tolerable Moderate
Unlikely Risk Risk Risk Risk

2 Trivial Tolerable Substantial Substantial

Unlikely Risk Risk Risk Risk

3 Tolerable Moderate Substantial Intolerable

Likely Risk Risk Risk Risk

4 Moderate Moderate Intolerable Intolerable

Very Likely Risk Risk Risk Risk

RISK CONTROL DECISION

Once the risk level has been estimated and the relevant level of tolerance calculated,
the table below can be used to provide guidance on the amount of time, effort,
money and other resources which need to be allocated in providing or developing
effective controls.

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Risk control decision table

Risk Level Action and Timescale

Trivial No action is required and no documentary records need to be
kept
Tolerable No additional controls are required. Consideration may be
given to a more cost-effective solution or improvement that
imposes no addtional costs burden. Monitoring is required to
ensure that the controls are maintained
Moderate Efforts should be made to reduce the risk, but the cost of
prevention should be carefully measured and limited. Risk
reduction measures should be implemented within a defined
time period.

Where the moderate risk is associated with extremely harmful

consequences, further assessment may be necessary to
establish more precisely the likelihood of harm as a basis for
determining the need for improved control measures.
Substantial Work should not be started until the risk has been
reduced. Considerable resources may have to be
allocated to reduce the risk. Where the risk involves work
in progress, urgent action should be taken
Intolerable Work should not be started or continued until the risk has
been reduced. If it is not possible to reduce risk with
unlimited resources, work has to remain prohibited.

ACTION PLANNING BASED ON ESTIMATED RISK TO TOLERANCE

Once the assessment process has been completed, then required control measures.
Can be implemented –

1. Prioritise the risks requiring control measures.

2. Set implementation dates.
3. Set performance standards which state:

• Who is to carry out the implementation;

• What needs to be done;
• Why it needs to be done;
• When it needs to be done by.

You will need to ensure that adequate resources are planned and monitor all aspects
of the plan.

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HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS

When planning for the control of risks then the decision process for allocating the
most appropriate control should be fairly formal. The list below provides the generally
accepted 'hierarchy of control' for protecting health and safety. Starting at number
one, those persons responsible for deciding the resourcing of control measure
implementation, should only dismiss a higher level control if it is unacceptable or
unreasonable in terms of cost, time, effort, impracticality or prevention of necessary
activity.

Hierarchy
1. Elimination, eg. eliminate hazard or combat risks at source.
2. Substitution, eg. using less hazardous substances or machinery to achieve the
same result.
3. Risk Reduction, eg. by using auto-cutoff electrical applications.

4. Independent controls that protect everyone.

5. Independent controls that protect the individual, eg. local fume ventilation but not
by using personal protective equipment.

7. Develop safe working procedures and provide effective training instruction and
information.
8. Independent effective maintenance.
9. Improve housekeeping.
10. Provide Personal Protective Equipment but only AS A LAST RESORT.
Any controls implemented need to be monitored for:

• Effectiveness.
• Usefulness.
• Usage.
• Improvements.

A well designed risk assessment is not created to make your life more difficult, but to
keep you free of injury or even death – remember that.

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