SAFETY ONARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES UNDERWATER AND ON THE FORESHORE 43
responsible at any given time, weather and diving
conditions, equipment checks, any significant event
during a project day (e.g. dives, change of supervi-
sor, non-diving periods, equipment breakdown,
other incidents). NB: the project director or dive
supervisor should sign the project log on a daily basis
as a record of events.INTER-TIDAL SITE SAFETY
Potential risks and hazards associated with inter-tidal
sites should not be underestimated. Before any work is con-
ducted in the inter-tidal zone, a risk assessment should
be completed to identify any potential hazard associated
with working or accessing a site. If a site is situated in
a tidal area, access may well be governed by the rise and
fall of the water level. There are also various risks asso-
ciated with working on structures that are likely to be
in a very poor state of repair. Consequently, stranded
or abandoned vessels should be considered a hazardous
working environment, with potential risks including
stranding, structural collapse, eroding iron or other fas-
tenings and even entrapment by falling internal fixtures
and fixings. Heavy items such as engines or boilers can
move without much notice.
The dangers of working in the inter-tidal zone need
stressing, and the following precautions should be taken:
- It is essential to assess all safety aspects of the work
site before contemplating carrying out any work on
the site. - Consider having a team member who is respons-
ible for keeping a look-out for changing conditions. - Never undertake work on an individual basis. For
a large group, ensure a list of team members is
checked before leaving the site. - Check the local tide-tables before venturing out onto
the foreshore. Plan the work schedule carefully to
ensure that there is enough time to return to the shore. - Get local advice regarding tidal conditions near the
site and make sure that all team members know
where the safest access routes are. - Where possible, each team member should have a
mobile phone (with fully charged battery) and
ensure that everybody has everyone else’s number. - Make sure that everyone has access to numbers for
the emergency services as well as maps giving direc-
tions to the local accident and emergency hospital. - Consider laying some form of mattress or walkway
to the site, as it will make the work easier and
less tiring for team members who otherwise might
struggle in the mud.- Consider the use of a safety-boat.
- Make a plan to evacuate a casualty, or someone who
is taken ill. - Inform a responsible person when to expect team
members ashore or home and consider informing
a relevant authority when work will begin and end. - If working in a tidal area, be aware that tide-tables
are not necessarily accurate for all locations or
weather conditions. The tide may turn earlier or may
not recede as the tide-tables suggest. Keep a watch
at all times, especially if the team is engaged in
absorbing work on the foreshore. Remember that the
tide can also come in faster than it goes out. - Check that watches are functioning: take a spare or
ensure that someone else in the team has one. If it
has an alarm facility set it for the time the tide is
scheduled to turn. - Always wear slip-on, hard-toecapped boots rather
than lace-up shoes because it is much more
difficult to free feet from lace-ups if they become
stuck in the mud. - Consider wearing hard hats, high-visibility jackets
and any other safety equipment that will help pre-
vent accidents. - Be aware that the weather can change quickly and that
team members could suffer from weather-induced
problems such as sunstroke or hypothermia. - Be cautious about wading through water-filled creeks,
as they are often deeper than they look. It is advis-
able to go around or over such features, even though
such action may take up valuable working time. - If team members become trapped by mud that is
particularly treacherous and the tide is coming in,
it may be safer to crawl or ‘swim’ over the mud rather
than trying to walk across it. - In more remote areas it may be advisable to take dis-
tress flares or alterative signalling equipment. - If in danger of being stranded by the incoming
tide, abandon equipment and leave as fast as pos-
sible. Such action may be unpopular, but safety
must be the first consideration. Most equipment will
survive a soaking. - In some regions, sewage is discharged around the
coast so check the positions of outfalls near the sur-
vey area. It is advisable to check with the relevant
authority in the planning stage of a project. Wear
disposable gloves and take water to enable the
washing of hands before eating or drinking. It is
important to clean up cuts, however small, with dis-
infectantl. Check that everyone has had a recent
tetanus injection. - If team members feel ill during or after working in
the inter-tidal zone, they should consult a doctor.