This section contains information and resources to assist faculty, staff, and students in preparing for field activities, including planning requirements, safety documentation, risk assessments, training expectations, and emergency preparedness. 

Field research may take place locally, nationally, or internationally and includes field trips, field schools, and research expeditions.

This encompasses a wide range of activities conducted outside of the university’s regular campus environment by faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral fellows, and volunteers. These activities involve:

• The collection, generation, analysis, or interpretation of data in the field, as well as surveying and interpretation of landscapes and landforms.
• On Campus activities within SFU campus boundaries are also included if these activities take place in the wooded areas surrounding the campus.
• Field Schools and field trips including low-hazard travel and activities that present a low likelihood of causing injury, adverse health effects, or damage to property or equipment, such as trips within urban locations to study planning and environmental topics.
• Recruitment, fundraising, educational, and promotional activities conducted at off-campus locations if they include any outdoors activities such as boating or hiking.
• Student led voluntary excursions were the University, Faculty of Environment, or the Departments/Schools provide monetary or staff support.

Certain travel activities, such as attending conferences or visiting other institutions, may not be considered a field activity. Please refer to the Pre-Planning section for details on these exceptions.

Course Outlines

SFU policy requires that mandatory field activities be communicated to students before course enrollment and clearly identified in the course outline. While instructors may provide additional field opportunities, any activity not specified in the course outline must be optional. This ensures students are aware of planned field components before enrolling and can discuss expectations and requirements with the instructor at the start of the course.

Exemptions from Field Safety Requirements

Exempted off-campus activities include conference travel, work at other institutions and cooperative education-type work term placements.

Submission Timelines

Allow sufficient time to complete and submit all required documentation for planned field activities. If you are new to the process, contact the Field Operations Manager during the semester before your planned activity. As a general guideline, begin completing forms and gathering student information at least one month in advance for low- or medium-risk activities, and one to two months in advance for high-risk activities.

The guidelines clearly define the roles and responsibilities of all individuals involved in field activities, including faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral fellows, volunteers, supervisors, and administrators. By establishing consistent expectations and accountability, the guidelines help ensure that field research and instructional activities are planned and conducted safely, responsibly, and in compliance with university requirements.

Field activity safety guidelines

The SFU Risk Matrix, and SFU Field Hazard Assessment and Risk control documents provide a framework for identifying field hazards, assessing risks, and implementing appropriate control measures. Effective hazard identification and risk management are essential to ensuring that research and instructional field activities are conducted safely and responsibly. These documents should be used to complete any required Field Activity plans (See following section).

Risk matrix for off-campus activities within Canada

Field hazard assessment and risk control tool

Contact plocher@sfu.ca for questions on the use of these documents.

Low and medium risk field activity form

Field activity plan template  (Higher Risk)

Procedure: Complete the form corresponding to the assigned risk level and submit it to the departmental or Dean’s Office Field Safety Manager for review. Following this review:

• Low or Medium Risk: Submit for approval and signature to the supervisor for grad-student activities or unit chair/director when undergraduate students are participating. Collect emergency contact information and waivers from students. For certain urban or low risk activities a Notice-of-Risk may be substituted for waivers.
• High or Extreme Risk: Submit to the Field Safety Advisory Committee (FSAC) for review (see next section). After any required revisions, obtain signatures from all team members and the unit head. Collect emergency contact information and waivers from students.

Webform for Emergency Contact information

Webform for Media Consent

Request the appropriate waiver templates for your activity from Field Operations Manager, Peter Locher. There are different waivers for students, volunteers, and minors.

Contact the Field Operation manager plocher@sfu.ca for assistance and questions to complete these forms.

Field activity plans must be reviewed and approved in accordance with the procedures established by the Faculty of Environment and responsible department or unit. For domestic field activities classified as high or extreme risk, approval by the unit head (Chair, Director, or Dean) is always required and will be completed after review by the Field Safety Advisory Committee (FSAC).

The Field Safety Advisory Committee (FSAC) oversees SFU’s domestic field safety program and provides guidance on field activities conducted within Canada. Its primary role is to review field activity plans that meet the criteria for high or extreme risk as defined by SFU’s Risk Matrix for Off-Campus Activities within Canada. International field activities fall outside the FSAC’s mandate.

Procedure: After Units or the Dean’s office field operations manager have provided feedback, submit the field activity plan to FSAC for review. Use the Field Activity Plan (FAP) Submission Web Form found at the bottom of this page: Field safety - Work & research safety - Simon Fraser University. Please note that the review process will take up to 5 working days to complete.

For field activities conducted outside Canada, follow the guidance and requirements outlined on SFU’s Travel safety - Risk & emergency planning  website. A Field Activity Plan (FAP) should also be developed and reviewed through the approval process established by the originating department and the Faculty of Environment. Contact plocher@sfu.ca for questions.

Please note that the Field Safety Advisory Committee (FSAC) does not review or provide oversight for international field activities. As a result, international FAPs do not require FSAC review as part of the approval process.