Undertaking an Expedition

Know about health, safety and environmental considerations when undertaking an expedition.

Learning Outcome 1: Indicative Content 

The health and safety factors that should be considered when undertaking an expedition include

• medical forms
• notification forms
• contact details
• route plan
• chain of command
• expected return time and date
• insurance
• risk assessment
• first aid
• weather forecasts.

Potential impact on the environment of undertaking an expedition.

Environmental impact of OAA: e.g. erosion, disturbance of fauna and flora, pollution to include rubbish, chemical products and air pollution and construction of facilities.

1 Ways to reduce the negative impact:

• reinforcing paths by laying gravel or having raised wooden walkways built over them will help to reduce erosion,
• stick to marked paths and trails and pay close attention to signs and even return at another time in order to not disturb local flora and fauna,

• use of alternative activities such as mountain biking instead or quad biking will help reduce noise and petrol fumes into the air, taking rubbish with you at end of the day to reduce harm to animals such as eating or getting tangled,
• fixing equipment and not allowing any dangerous liquids to drain into the ground or water to prevent poison to animals and plants,
• constructing facilities but respecting the environment and carrying out surveys and collaborating with specialist organisations to carry out surveys in order to avoid disturbing plant and wildlife such as badger sets.

A Risk Assessment is a systematic method of looking at work activities, considering what could go wrong, and deciding on suitable control measures to prevent loss, damage or injury in the workplace. The Assessment should include the controls required to eliminate, reduce or minimise the risks.

Could organise visit to an organisation for talk from instructor/manager who will talk about an activity that has been used to minimise negative environmental impact, strategies used and how effective they were. 

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1
  Outline the health and safety factors that should be considered when undertaking an expedition.
  
• 1.2
  Outline the potential impact on the environment of undertaking a specific expedition.
  
• 1.3
  Outline ways to reduce the negative impact on the environment of undertaking a specific expedition.

Be able to use skills and techniques for a multi-day expedition.

Learning Outcome 2: Indicative Content 

Skills for example:

orientation of map, direction finding, interpretation, grid references, scale and distance, handrail features, use of key, compass skills; camp craft skills e.g. erecting tents, striking tents, selecting camp site, use of terrain for shelter, cooking, bivouac building; travelling skills e.g. pace and rhythm, energy conservation, control skills, traversing difficult ground, avoidance of hazards; weather related skills e.g. weather forecasts, predicting conditions, assessing conditions; advanced skills e.g. navigation using interpretive features, aiming off using compass bearings, identification of position by methods of relocation, navigation in poor visibility/darkness, navigation with speed and accuracy in all conditions, elementary interpretation of weather.

Techniques include for example:

route cards, calculating time, calculating distance, map care and folding, counting off features; camp craft techniques e.g. maintaining a dry tent, cooking, waste disposal, personal hygiene, packing equipment, using equipment, storing equipment; advanced techniques e.g. pacing, calculating distance travelled through time, good route choice with alterations appropriate to conditions, walking on bearing, camping in high wilderness terrain, camping comfortably in difficult weather.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1
  Demonstrate appropriate skills and techniques during a multi-day expedition, including those for navigation, transportation and establishing a camp.
  

Be able to plan a multi-day expedition.

Learning Outcome 3: Indicative Content 

Plan should include:

appropriate choice of activity; appropriate choice of location; aims and objectives; permissions e.g. from organisation, line manager, governing body, local authority, parents, participants, landowners, appropriate administrative bodies; logistics e.g. group size, staff/group ratios, transport (to and from expedition area, self-sufficient use of transport, transport support during expedition), accommodation groups, equipment; food; equipment e.g. choice of tent (base tent, mountain tent, cooking tent, lightweight tent, bivouac equipment), personal equipment (rucksack, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, base layers, warmth layers, waterproof protection, footwear), group equipment (stoves, ropes); finance e.g. budgeting, income and expenditure, identifying major cost areas (food, transport, fuel, camping fees), audit systems (maintaining records, safe and secure, money handling, recording all transactions, working to planned budget, planning for emergencies) health and safety e.g. medical forms, notification forms, contact details, route plan, chain of command, expected return time and date, insurance, risk assessment, first aid, weather forecasts.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1
  Produce a plan for a multi-day expedition which includes
  a) resources and equipment
  b) planned route
  c) any permissions or consent required
  d) transport
  e) accommodation
  f) contingencies.
  

Be able to undertake and review a multi-day expedition.

Learning Outcome 4: Indicative Content 

Review of planning to identify own strengths and areas of improvement of undertaking an expedition

• formative and summative
• feedback e.g. observers, peers; strengths; areas for improvement;
• skills e.g. communication, leadership, decision making 
• appropriateness of expedition e.g. suitability of area, choice of expedition, matching of expedition to participants,
• health and safety
• areas for improvement.

Assessment Criteria

• 4.1
  Carry out a multi-day expedition in line with plan.
  
• 4.2
  Use own self-assessment, feedback from others (e.g. fellow participants, observers) and relevant governing body guidelines to identify own strengths and areas for improvement in undertaking an expedition.
• 4.3
  Outline ways to improve own techniques and skills in carrying out expeditions.