When planning for field activities, the persons responsible for the activities should make a thorough assessment of the potential risk involved so that appropriate precautionary measures can be prepared. The following should be taken into consideration in the assessment:

• Remoteness of locations for the activities.
• Ease of communication, e.g. with mobile phones or pagers
• Mode of transportation and the associated hazards
• Availability of medical care and emergency services
• Potentially hazardous activities to be undertaken, e.g. rock-climbing, mountaineering, diving or other water activities etc.
• Dangerous animals, plants and microorganisms likely to be encountered
• Dangerous substances to be handled
• The hostility of the environment
• Likely climatic conditions (especially in typhoon and rainy season), availability of shelters
• Supply of food, potable water, fuel etc. (especially for field activities of long duration)
• Staff student ratios. Experience and competence of staff and students in relation to the activities involved.
• Local safety rules of the owners of sites visited in the course of field activities.
• Security issues
• Insurance cover and liability issues

• Inform an appropriate person in the school/department the itinerary, destination and the anticipated duration of the field trip; and how the group can be contacted when necessary. Promptly notify the same person(s) after you have returned.
• Inform the nearest police station before you start heading towards somewhere remote. Inform all concerned parties if you have changed your original plan.
• Appoint group leaders and supervisors, and meet to plan for necessary arrangements for the field activities. Activities during the field trip should be in groups or at least in pairs. Do not allow working alone.
• Prepare appropriate plans for foreseeable emergencies with respect to the likely hazards of the environment and the type of work undertaken.
• Check the means of communication that will be available in case of emergencies, e.g. availability of telephones nearby, operability of mobile phones and pagers etc.
• Get ready all necessary emergency and first aid equipments.
• Identify first-aiders among the group and assign first aid duties.
• Get ready all necessary safety items including personal protective equipments.
• Remind students to wear proper clothing and footwear. Long pants will be more appropriate for walking through brushes and shrubs.

• Check the topography of the area from maps or other information sources where activities will take place.
• Identify potentially hazardous features such as cliffs, lakes, rivers, waterfalls etc. so that appropriate precautionary arrangements can be made before hand.
• Also check whether the area can be reached easily by emergency rescue personnel in case help is needed.
• Make sure that the exact location is known so that the emergency rescue people will be able to locate it when needed. 

• Heat illnesses such as "Heat Stroke" and "Heat Exhaustion" can be developed easily in the hot summer weather when people are working or exercising in the outdoor under the sun.
• People should drink ample amounts of water (not soft drink nor beer) to replenish the loss of water from the body due to prolonged sweating. Slightly salted water can replenish lost salt content from the body. 
• People should be aware of their health condition. When they are not feeling well or have had insufficient sleep, they should not engage in strenuous activities or expose themselves to extremes of temperature and humidity for prolonged period of time.    
• If possible, get under the shade such as under a tree or an umbrella.
• The consequence of heat illnesses can be very serious and prompt and appropriate treatments are very important. Steps for treating people suffering from heat illnesses are contained in the appendix.

• The UV in the hot summer sunshine (especially around noon time) can produce severe damage to the skin (may cause skin cancer) and eyes. 
• People should avoid exposing themselves for too long under the intense summer sunshine when they are engaged in outdoor activities.
• Protective clothing and equipment such as hats and good quality sun glasses should be worn.
• Appropriate sun block lotion can also provide some protection of your skin from excessive UV absorption.

• Keep your eyes and ears open for snakes, especially in tall grassy areas.
• When you see a snake, stop and then calmly move away from it to a safe place as far from it as practicable. Alert other persons about your discovery. Call 999 for help if necessary.
• It is advisable to wear boots or leggings to give better protection of the leg from snakebites, especially when people have to move around through brushes. Never wear thongs or sandals.
• Treat snakebite victims as soon as possible (see appendix). Keep the snake (if caught or killed), or record its appearance, so that the right anti-venom can be given if necessary.
• Bees, wasps, and hornets are major threats in the countryside. Avoid disturbing bush and shrubs that may be harboring beehives or nests. 
• Stings by those insects are alarming and painful, but usually not very dangerous. However, the wound should be properly cleaned and covered to prevent infections. Icepack can be applied to the wound to relieve pain and swelling effectively.
• Some people, however, are allergic to the poisons left by those insects and can rapidly develop into serious condition. Multiple stings can have a dangerous cumulative effect. Send the casualty to the hospital or see a doctor if serious condition develops or if pain and swelling persist or increase over the next day or two.
• Tick bites should also receive proper attention. Ticks can also be found in grass or woodland. Ticks attach themselves to passing animals (including animals) and bite into the skin to suck blood. An unfed tick is very small and may not be noticed easily, however, when sucking blood, it swells to the size of a pea and can easily be seen. Ticks can carry disease and cause infection, and should be removed as soon as possible. Once removed, put the tick in a container. The casualty should take it with him or her to a doctor.

• Dogs are commonly found in villages and countryside. Dogs can be friendly, but they can also be very dangerous, especially to strangers.
• Avoid getting close to dogs. Don't provoke any dogs. Don't touch any dogs, even though they look to be friendly.
• Be cautious when entering or passing through villages. If you find angry dogs blocking the way, better retreat (but in a calm manner).
• Any wounds caused by dog or animal bites must be cleaned and protected promptly to prevent infections and the casualty must be sent to the clinic or hospital for further treatment without delay. Try to identify the dog (and its owner) in case it needs to be checked for rabies

• Avoid conducting activities close to cliffs or steep slopes. If this is absolutely necessary, appropriate safety measures must be in place, such warning signs, barricades, or other means (e.g. safety lines) of restricting people from getting too close to the dangerous areas. People must be clearly warned of the dangerous situation.
• Unless they have been properly trained it is necessary for them to do so, people must not be allowed to climb rocks or steep slopes.

• Listen to the weather bulletin. If the fire danger warning is red, handle kindling materials with great care to prevent causing a hill fire.
• Hill fire is more difficult to detect in daytime. Pay attention to flying ashes or burnt smell.
• It is difficult to assess the spreading speed of hill fire. If a hill fire is discovered, leave the fire scene immediately.
• If you are trapped in a hill fire:

  • Do not panic and stay calm.

  • Note the direction of the fire spread – do not run in the same direction of the prevailing wind.Never run uphill if the situation permits.

  • Do not run into shrubs or grass-grown area. Look for places with less vegetation for escape.

• Pay attention to weather forecast before planning for the field trip. Observe weather and take appropriate precautions. Postpone the outdoor activities if the weather is going to deteriorate.
• During a rainstorm (especially thunderstorm):

  • Stay away from any river, stream or low-lying areas where flooding may occur.

  • Stay away from steep slopes where landslide may occur.

  • DO NOT stay on a highland or large plain,

  • DO NOT stay under or close to trees.
  • DO NOT stay inside water or on small boats.
  • Stay away from metal fences or metal objects.
  • Stay inside buildings as far as possible.

• Contingency plans for dealing with emergencies should be made when planning for the field activities.
• The following should be considered in the emergency plans:

  • Provision of adequate emergency equipment, first aid and medical kits, fire-fighting equipment etc.

  • Means of communication among members

  • Means for summoning help in the events of emergency

  • Responsibilities of members in handling emergenciesArrangements for handling of casualtiesArrangements for reporting accidents

• All members of the field trip must be made known the emergency arrangements, and the means of contacting emergency services.
• All accidents must be reported promptly to the school/department responsible for the activities.

Treatment for Heat Illness Casualty

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is the result of excessive loss of water and salt content from the body. This may occur when the loss of water is not replenished after prolonged sweating.

Recognition

• Headache, dizziness, nausea
• Cramps in the legs or abdomen (due to deficiency in salt content).
• Pale, clammy skin.
• Fast but weak pulse.
• Normal, sub-normal or slightly raised oral temperature.
• Casualty may become unconscious.

Treatment

• Lay the casualty down at rest in a cool place.
• Give frequent drinks (in small quantity) of salted water. The aim is to get as much water into the casualty as he will tolerate.
• Keep the casualty as cool as possible.
• Check the body temperature of the casualty. If the temperature is rising (above 40 deg C), treat as for heat stroke.
• Send the casualty for medical treatment as soon as possible.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke may occur when the body's heat dissipation mechanism breaks down or is not functioning properly, resulting in excessive heat build-up inside the body.

Recognition

• Disturbed or uncharacteristic behavior, followed by delirium, partial loss of consciousness and coma.
• High oral temperature (40 deg C or above).
• Fatigue, headache and irritability.
• Nausea, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea.
• Diminished sweating (absence of sweating in most cases).
• Fast and strong pulse.
• Hot, flushed, dry skin.

Treatment 

• Lay the casualty down at rest in a cool place.

• Reduce the casualty's temperature (down below 38 deg. C)
  • loosening or removing the clothing as far as practicable,

  • cooling the body with water,

  • fanning the body with appropriate means.

• Keep the casualty dry when the body temperature is lowered.
• Check the body temperature of the casualty frequently. If the temperature rises again, repeat the above procedures.

Send the casualty for medical treatment as soon as possible.

Treatment for Snake Bite 

• Dial 999 for an ambulance.

• Before ambulances arrives:

  • Lay the casualty down. Tell him/her to keep calm and do not let him/her move about. Reassurance is vital, for if the casualty keeps still and calm, the spread of venom may be delayed.

  • Clean the wound thoroughly (with soap and water, if available) and then cover with clean dressings. 

  • DO NOT apply a tourniquet, slash at the wound with a knife, or attempt to suck out the venom. The bandage on the wound should be just tight enough to firmly dent the tissue. 

  • Secure and support the injured part. Keep the wounded part below the level of the heart, so as to contain the venom locally or to delay its spread.

• Take the victim to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. Avoid all unnecessary exertion.