Guidelines for Planning Field Trips
Using the Acknowledgment
of Risk and Consent for Treatment Form
The Field Trip Assumption of Risk and Consent for Treatment form is intended as both a planning tool for faculty/staff and as a tool to inform field trip participants about the potential risks and the participants' responsibilities during the trip.
Reasonable care should be taken in planning any field trip, and the risks or precautions particular to each field trip should be evaluated in advance. Each participant or parent/guardian of a minor participant should be fully informed of the potential risks involved.
The following are suggested steps to take in planning a field trip:
- Review the field trip plans with the Safety & Environmental Health Office (704/687-4291) to determine if there will be any particular risks or precautions and if so, how to minimize those risks.
- If you determine that it is important to obtain insurance for the students participating in the field trip (either paid for by your department or by the participants), contact the Insurance Office at (704/687-2138) to make such arrangements.
- Discuss the potential risks and precautions with students in advance of the trip.
- Modify the Acknowledgment of Risk and Consent for Treatment form to suit the field trip, being as specific as possible about unique or particular risks involved.
- Add vaccination requirements to the Acknowledgment of Risk and Consent for Treatment form if necessary (e.g., rabies shots).
- If the field trip is for credit or is a required element of the course, offer alternative projects or activities to those students who are unable to participate in the field trip because they (or the parents/guardians of minor students) choose not to sign the Acknowledgment of Risk and Consent for Treatment form.
If you have any additional questions
or concerns about the safety or legal aspects planning
a field trip, please contact the Safety & Environmental
Health Office (704/687-4291) or the General Counsel's
Office (704/687-2553).
