Indonesia health and safety

Health & safety documents Risk Assessments Medical and Evacuation Procedures Health and Safety Information for Local Education Authorities 2011 Health and Safety Report BS8848 compliance document Dive Standards and Procedures

After an independent assessment Operation Wallacea has been awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom badge for safety and quality.

Operation Wallacea's Approach to Health and Safety

The first concern of all activities undertaken as part of Operation Wallacea expeditions is the reduction of risk to health and safety as far as practically possible.  Operation Wallacea has a seven point health & safety policy which is reproduced below together with notes on how each of these policy points are implemented:

1. Provision of relevant health and safety information to all volunteers before they arrive in Indonesia.

·         All volunteers are provided with information on the immunisations and prophylactic medications required before they join the project. 

·         Information is also provided on necessary equipment for activities such as trekking and staying in the forest.

2.  Ensuring that appropriate qualified and experienced staff are employed on the project and that all field staff and group leaders are trained in the safe operating procedures.

·         All staff have to go through an on site induction course which includes training in the relevant procedures. 

·         Auditing of operating procedures on a regular basis at each camp followed by meetings of all relevant staff to identify corrective actions needed.

3.  Identification of the risks associated with activities and locations, as well as the development of measures to minimise these risks. 

·         Risk assessments are produced by the relevant staff for each location visited (dive site, forest base camp, trek location) activity undertaken (eg diving, trekking, etc) as well as specific research project associated risks.

·         Staff are required to consult these reports before visiting a new site, undertaking a new activity or participating in a new project.  The risk assessments are continually evaluated and updated.

4. Development and implementation of safe operating procedures for each of the activities undertaken.

·         The risk assessments identify the main safety measures to reduce the risk to volunteers at the various camps and on different activities.

·         There is regular on site auditing to check that the risk reduction measures identified in the risk assessments are being implemented in full.

5.  Ensuring there are adequate communication, medical and evacuation procedures in position 

·         The main bases in the forest and on Hoga, the transport boats to and from Bau Bau, and the vehicles moving volunteers between camps all have radio and/or handphone contact with the Labundo and Hoga sites.
All boats leaving the Hoga base have VHF radios and a check in check out procedure for each journey.  These radios can communicate with the research centre in the event of an emergency. 
All teams working in the forest have to carry a radio and check in and out when operating from the forest base camps. 
Each of the camps has a qualified Medical Officer and extensive medical supplies.

·         All teams leaving these camps have to carry a First Aid kit with them.

·         All dive boats have to carry a First Aid kit, an oxygen supply and delivery system capable of administering oxygen for sufficient time for the boat to return to the Hoga base. The Hoga base has large oxygen bottles with an adequate supply for evacuating two patients to recompression facilities in Makassar. All dive staff supervising dives are trained in oxygen administration. 

·         The Medical Officer is responsible for ensuring that all the medical kits and oxygen bottles are replenished as necessary. 

·         There are hospitals with good facilities for most possible injuries (eg broken bones, dehydration, snake bites, tropical diseases,  in Makassar, a decompression chamber on Wanci Island  and a hospital in Bau Bau for stabilising patients.

·         Evacuation plans for Medium, High and Emergency Priority evacuations have been developed for each of the sites.  Medical and evacuation insurance cover has been purchased for all participants and costs and payment methods agreed in advance with the   

6. Training of all volunteers on arrival in the safe operating procedures, and acquainting them with the medical facilities available.

·         All volunteers on arrival are given a general health and safety briefing.
Additional briefings are given by leaders as the volunteers join new projects or visit new areas  

7.  Recording all illnesses, accidents, near-misses or incidents which may have a bearing on health and safety and using this information as part of an ongoing refinement of the operating procedures. 

·         The Medical Officers keep detailed confidential medical records on all staff and volunteers, which are used in combination with accident and 'near miss' data reported by various staff, in compiling accident and illness reports.

·          The accident and illness reports are published on the Op Wall web site.

General Travel and Health Advice for Indonesia

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides comprehensive travel advice, but we must stress that this is just 'advice'.  The FCO advises against travel to certain areas in Indonesia, but there is no 'blanket' cover against travelling to Indonesia as a whole, although precautions, as with travel to all areas, must be taken.  Indonesia is an extremely large country and very different issues effect different areas.  We consider our Indonesian sites to be very safe and full risk assessments are regularly updated on our website.  A more detailed analysis of the travel risks in Indonesia can be downloaded by clicking here.

More information on health and safety issues relevant to Indonesia can be found by clicking on the following links:

British Government Travel Advice: www.fco.gov.uk 
US Government Travel Advice: www.travel.state.gov.  Note in May 2008 the US lifted its remaining travel warnings over Indonesia
Independent Air Travel Advice: www.airsafe.com
Indonesian Ministry of Transport: www.dephub.go.id
PADI Dive Safety: http://user.itl.net/~gemble/ob/main/safe.htm 
Australian Venom Research Unit: www.avru.org 
Marine Specific Medicine: www.marine-medic.com.au 
Dangerous Marine Organisms: http://www.afpmb.org/pubs/Field_Guide/field_guide.htm 
Diving Related Medicine: www.scuba-doc.com 

Vaccinations 

You must consult your GP or travel clinic for personal advice and it is also worth checking the NaTHNaC web site for up to date advice. Operation Wallacea are not able to give official advice on inoculations. Some people are not able to have certain jabs, so blanket generalisations cannot be made.

However based on past experience we would normally expect you to be up to date with the following inoculations:  
Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Diptheria, Polio.

Rabies (1ml) is necessary for all volunteers doing bat projects, without this vaccination you will not be able to handle the animals. We also recommend that volunteers doing any of the trapping/processing mammal or herpetofauna projects where mammals are often a by catch, consult their physician regarding this vaccination. For other forest based volunteers it is recommended, though not essential, that you have the 0.1ml rabies vaccine.

Japanese B Encephalitis: Although we work in an area where Japanese B Encephalitis exists, our presence in high risk zones is very limited. We also work in the dry season thus reducing the risk further, so do not demand that volunteers are vaccinated against this. However if you have any doubts, please browse the website of the Centre for Disease Control (search CDC).

Malaria: You will need to start taking malaria prophylactics one week before departure. It is generally advised that you take Paludrine and Chloroquine though please consult your physician or pharmacist. Larium (mefloquine) is not recommended for S.E. Sulawesi. This is particularly important on the marine projects as you cannot dive if you take Larium, or have taken it in the previous 7 days. A recent report from physicians in the US suggests that the WHO has confirmed that strains of chloroquinone resistant malaria have appeared in Indonesia and US doctors are recommending 100mg Doxycycline, one time a day with the evening meal for the entire trip, plus 4 weeks upon return.  

It is advisable to visit your dentist well before your departure to clear up any dental problems, as access to dentists on site is limited.

HIV and AIDS. As in other parts of the world, the risk of HIV and AIDS is ever present. Always act responsibly and practice safer sex.

The effectiveness of the contraceptive pill is compromised in the instance of sickness, diarrhoea and whilst taking antibiotics so please bring alternative methods of contraception, even if you are travelling with your partner.  Please note that the 'morning-after pill' is not available at any of our sites. If required, women should bring tampons as they cannot be obtained on site.

If you need to take prescribed medicines whilst on expedition please bring sufficient supplies to cover your stay. Always carry medicines, including malaria tablets in clearly labelled packages and have the generic names to hand rather than the brand name. Occasionally there are restrictions on taking certain medicines in and out of the UK or Indonesia. If you think this may be relevant to you, please contact the Home Office Drugs Branch on 0207 273 3806

Physical Fitness

The level of fitness required to participate in the research programme varies depending on the site at which you will be based. The most physically demanding part of the expedition is probably the jungle training course, if you choose to do this. In some instances whilst on this course you are going to need to be able to carry a pack and trek for 4 - 5 hours in temperatures of  25-30 degrees Celsius and in high levels of humidity.

In order to be able to participate in the Open Water Dive Training programme you will need to be able to swim 200 metres, and tread water for 10 minutes unaided.

Before you join the project it is well worth starting a fitness routine so that you can get to the level required for the site at which you will be based.  You will still have to acclimatise to the higher temperatures though when you arrive!