Risk is inherent in everything that we do in life. Without accepting and understanding these risks, we would not be able to do anything at all. The first concern of all activities undertaken as part of Operation Wallacea expeditions is to gain an understanding of the environments we will be working in, and from this to reduce risk to health and safety as far as is possible. These pages are devoted to explaining our approach to health and safety, and to giving as much advice as we are responsibly able.

 

Health & safety documents Risk Assessments Medical and Evacuation Procedures Health and Safety Information for Local Education Authorities 2011 Medical Report  South Africa and Mozambique 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

• 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 bush.  

• Risk assessments are produced by the relevant staff for each location visited and activity undertaken.

• 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.

• Procedures to ensure trekking teams remain safe from attacks from large game species are implemented by having an armed FGASA qualified guard with rifle handling competency with each group of 8 and a vehicle nearby

• Additional procedures cover aspects such as safe driving, hygiene, snorkelling and swimming and many other aspects

• All diving is carried out in accordance with the strict procedures.

• All sites are in telephone contact, and have mobile phone reception in almost all areas

• All boats leaving the shore 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 reserves have to carry a radio and/or cell phone, and can ensure regular check in calls, and condition of the trekking team

• All sites are within close evacuation proximity to western standard hospitals and medical advice.

• 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 research centre  The Mozambique base has extensive oxygen supplies with an adequate supply for evacuating two patients to recompression facilities in Richards Bay.

• The Senior Dive Instructor is responsible for ensuring that all the medical kits and oxygen bottles are replenished as necessary.

•  Evacuation plans for emergency evacuations (normally by helicopter but in some cases in conjunction with overland routes) have been developed for each of the sites.  Evacuation plans for High Priority (fastest overland route to a hospital) and Medium Priority (most convenient and comfortable overland route) have also been developed for each site and will be practised before the start of the season.    

• 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

• The Expedition Co-ordinator will keep records on accident and 'near miss' data reported by various staff as well as illnesses, in order to compile an accident and illness report.

General Travel and Health Advice for South Africa/Mozambique

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), US State departments' and Canadian Consular web pages provide comprehensive travel advice for trips to South Africa. The FCO advises that whilst levels of crime can be high in certain areas of South Africa, this is mostly confined to townships, and thus the general risk to visitors is low. We advice exercising caution in Johannesburg International Airport as we do in all major airports - keep luggage in sight at all times, and don’t carry more cash than is necessary. However in general the people of South Africa are very friendly towards tourists, particularly in remote areas. 

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.

Please make sure that you have had or are up to date with all vaccinations listed below:

Tetanus
Typhoid
Hepatitis A
Polio
Diphtheria

Rabies: We recommend that volunteers doing the biodiversity monitoring programme consult their physician regarding the rabies vaccination. Whilst it is unlikely that you will be doing much direct handling of mammals, there is a very small chance that you may be bitten. Therefore having the rabies vaccination from the UK before you leave would provide extra protection.

Malaria: Although there will be very few mosquitoes in the areas in which you will visit in South Africa, particularly during the June-August period, it is still important that you begin taking malaria prophylactics one week before departure. Within South Africa's borders, SAA Netcare Travel Clinics recommend either mefloquine (Larium) , doxycycline, or atovaquone-proguanil as being the most effective anti-malaria tablets. Chloroquine is NOT an effective antimalarial drug in Southern Africa and should not be taken to prevent malaria in this region. Please not that you cannot dive if you take Larium, or have taken it in the previous 7 days.

HIV and AIDS: South Africa has a particularly high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. There is absolutely no reason why this should present a problem for anybody on an Op Wall expedition, providing you always act responsibly and practice safe sex. The effectiveness of the contraceptive pill is compromised in the instance of sickness, diarrhea and whilst taking antibiotics so please bring alternative methods of contraception, even if you are travelling with your partner. If required, women should bring tampons as these may not be obtainable in all areas.

For the expedition in South Africa you will not be required to trek for long periods of time, or on particularly difficult terrain, and the temperature will not be overly severe. However you will still need a reasonable level of physical fitness given that you may be working in the bush digging or checking pitlines for several hours at a time. It may well be worth getting into a fitness routine before you arrive.