The risks associated with field work are not equal for everyone and can pose a barrier to equitable participation in field research.  Some scientists may experience increased risks due to their race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity/expression, or religion.  Supervisors and team leaders should be aware that their own personal experiences may not always enable them to identify risks for team members whose identities differ from their own.  Supervisors and team leaders should actively think about how some identities may be at increased risk in some situations.

The best way to reduce and mitigate potential risks during field work, as well as to provide equitable access to field research opportunities, is to foster awareness and leadership within research teams.  All research team members should be involved in planning and training and all team members should be aware that safety is just as important as data collection during field work.  It should be made clear to all participants that safety is just as important as data collection.  

Because of societal inequities, team leaders and team members should be aware that the presence of local law enforcement to help with a vehicle accident or broken vehicle may pose increased risks for certain team members.  Team leaders should talk with team members before contacting law enforcement for help and involve team members in decision making about how the team will interact with the police in the event of a vehicle accident.  Law enforcement as emergency contacts may not be viable for all situations.  Developing multiple options for emergency contacts is important.

A variety of health conditions may interact more severely with certain environmental risks in the field.  By adequately preparing team members for the types of conditions they could encounter during field research, supervisors can allow team members to assess their own safety/risk and decide if they should disclose personal health information to reduce risks.  Here are some examples:

• The conditions of the field site or field activities may exacerbate pre-existing health conditions or certain types of medications
• Team members with allergies may be at greater risk from stinging insects or from excess pollen
• Team members with asthma may be at greater risk when working outside when air quality is poor
• Team members with lower visual or auditory acuity may be less likely to quickly respond to dangerous animals, like venomous snakes
• Team members with mobility-related disabilities are at higher risk of injury when traversing uneven terrain or during natural disasters, like flash floods
• Some insect-borne disease carry greater risk for pregnant persons and/or their developing baby, like Zika virus.
• Team members may be taking medications that need to be stored at a specific temperature while in the field

Following are some more specific suggestions to help mitigate risk depending on your instutional role: