Field Trip Liability Waiver and Assumption of Risk

You must read and agree to this in order to participate in Field Trips with

The Brantford Lapidary and Mineral Club.

Assumption of Risks

I acknowledge that I have been made aware of the potential risks and dangers associated with attending and participating in the field trips, including appropriate clothing, personal protective equipment, and appropriate use of rockhounding tools as well as behaviour that will minimize these risks.

I understand, acknowledge, appreciate, and agree that when participating at the aforementioned field trip:

1) I will take responsibility and reasonable care for my own health & safety, including that of any minor children accompanying me.

2) I am aware that injuries could arise when attending and participating in the aforementioned field trip, which may include minor, severe, and serious physical and emotional injury/illness to myself and/or any minor children accompanying me.

Health and safety affirmations

3) I am aware that attending and participating in the aforementioned field trip can require vigorous activity and a reasonable level of fitness.

i) Additionally, I am aware that I, and any minor children accompanying me, will rest and stop, when necessary.

4) I will follow all health & safety rules and instructions as required by the site owner, the club, and the field trip leader(s).

i) Additionally, I am aware that I will both sign in (when arriving) and sign out (when leaving) any field trip.

5) I will inform the field trip leader(s) of any medical condition(s) that may affect my ability to attend and participate in the aforementioned field trip, including any medication that may cause drowsiness.

6) I will inform the field trip leader(s) of behaviour(s) and/or condition(s) that might endanger myself and/or others.

Safe personal protective equipment and clothing affirmations

7) I will wear any personal protective equipment as well as any appropriate clothing as required by the site owner, the club, and the field trip leader(s) and I am aware that doing so mitigates the risks as per the health & safety best practices.

a) More specifically, in the case of a field trip location at any actively working quarry, pit, mine, or rock dump, I am required to wear PPE (personal protective equipment) (also known as full safety gear) and that I am aware that full safety gear is mandatory (per legislation in Manitoba, Ontario, and Québec):

i) ANSI / CSA compliant high-visibility safety vests, 6-inch-above-the-ankle safety footwear, and high-visibility hard hats (all in good working condition);

ii) Safety glasses or goggles;

iii) Work gloves; and

iv) Long sleeves and long pants.

b) More specifically, in the case of a field trip location at any open-to-the-public, pay-to-collect, inactive, and/or abandoned quarry, pit, mine, rock dump, and/or mineral occurrence, I am aware that I, as well as any minor children accompanying me, should wear safe and appropriate clothing:

i) Safety vests are preferred; however, very bright clothing can ensure that I can be easily seen and located;

ii) Sturdy hiking-type boots (in lieu of safety boots) protect feet and ankles as well as help keep my balance when walking;

iii) Hats (in lieu of hard hats) (preferably wide-brimmed) protect against heat exhaustion and stroke plus can provide some shade;

iv) Safety glasses or goggles protect against flying rock shards and/or splinters (particularly resulting from hammering) as well as incidental rock dust;

v) Work gloves protect against sharp-edged rocks and incidental rock dust. (Please note that some minerals are considered poisonous and/or irritating on skin and/or to the touch.);

vi) Long sleeves and long pants are preferred because they protect against miscellaneous bumps, bruises, cuts, and scrapes PLUS protection against stings and/or bites PLUS protection against poisonous/irritating plants and

vii) A safety whistle (provides a very loud sound that requires very little blowing effort), in case I become lost or injured and/or in contact with potentially hazardous wildlife (such as aggressive bears).

Additional inherent risks affirmations

Additional inherent risks when participating in the aforementioned field trip include, but are not limited to the following:

8) I am aware that dehydration is the number one health & safety issue on a field trip; and that I will carry enough water to keep myself and any minor children accompanying me, hydrated; and that I and any minor children accompanying me, will drink water regularly during a field trip.

Additionally, I am aware that:

i) Some beverages can cause overheating and/or dehydration and that I will avoid them during a field trip (such as alcohol and/or beverages with caffeine);

ii) Some medical conditions require fluid restriction, that I have consulted with my doctor regarding what fluid intake can be done on a field trip with regards to myself or any minor children accompanying me; and that I have informed the field trip leaders of my or any minor children accompanying me medical condition(s); and

iii) I and any minor children accompanying me or should not drink any surface water – possibility that the water may be contaminated (including old and/or abandoned quarry, pit, mine, or rock dump sites that may be contaminated by leaching and may not be signed as such).

9) I am aware that the second most serious danger on a field trip is that of tripping and falling (therefore, possible injuries).

Additionally, I am aware that:

i) Watching where I step will help me keep my balance; and

ii) Boots and/or sturdy footwear will help to avoid slipping and falling accidents; and

iii) I will fill in any holes and/or excavations that I make.

10) I am aware that at any actively working quarry, pit, mine, or rock dump, there may be additional hazards:

i) I will keep clear of all posted and/or dangerous areas (particularly where recent blasting has taken place and/or where there are employees working, often with large machinery).

ii) I will keep clear of any dynamite case found; and I will inform the field trip leader(s) of such; and

iii) I will stay away from all quarry/mining equipment.

11) I am aware that rock collecting can result in cuts, bruises, sprained wrists/ankles; and less often can result in more severe injuries.

Additionally, I am aware that:

i) When hammering, chips can fly and hit other people;

ii) I need to look out for other people when rolling rocks;

iii) Collecting should not take place on fences, walls, overhangs, tunnels, or trenches, including where water is involved;

iv) Rocks and rock piles may be unstable; hence, pose a danger of movement, collapse, and/or avalanching;

v) Walls and rock faces can be hazardous, with crumbling edges and rock falls;

vi) Tunnels, shafts, headframes, and other structures – particularly at old and/or abandoned quarry, pit, mine, or rock dump sites – hold many dangers and should not be explored no matter how safe they appear;

vii) I will not step on any board/boarding and/or cement caps either at or over quarry, pit, mine, or rock dump holes and/or shafts – even if a hole and/or shaft is filled in and looks solid. It cannot be assumed to be safe, since sometimes debris can collect to make a hole look solid; and

viii) I will watch carefully for sharp objects such as nails protruding from boards, metals pipes protruding from ground, etc – particularly at old and/or abandoned quarry, pit, mine, or rock dump sites.

12) I am aware that rock dust and/or debris should be cleaned up (brushed off, shaken off, wiped with a damp cloth, etc) from my clothing and myself or any minor children accompanying me before removing protective eyewear.

Additionally, I am aware that:

i) I should not rub eyes or skin with dirty hands or clothing; and

ii) I should, as soon as possible and is safe to do so, wash glasses or goggles, gloves, hands, face, and any skin that has come in contact with rock dust and/or debris.

13) I am aware that – when out in nature – I should not pick wild plants, fruit, mushrooms, and/or fungi in the vicinity of a quarry, pit, mine, or rock dump – particularly:

i) If the plant, fruit, mushrooms, and/or fungi is not easily identifiable, as it could easily be poisonous and/or irritating to the skin;

ii) If an old quarry, pit, mine, or rock dump has been leaching, plant, fruit, mushrooms, and/or fungi could be poisoned;

iii) I am aware that Nature’s small critters like the safety and shade of rocks and bushes and get defensive when they get stepped on and/or their rock shelters are overturned; and

iv) I will remove any garbage that I create as I leave.

I, the undersigned, wish to attend and participate, voluntarily, in The Brantford Lapidary and Mineral Society

field trips

In consideration of the permission granted to me by the Central Canadian Federation of Mineralogical Societies (CCFMS), in The Brantford Lapidary and Mineral Society, I agree to and hereby assume all risk of all and any injuries to myself, and/or any minor children accompanying me; and damage or loss of my property or property belonging to any minor children accompanying me while attending and participating in the aforesaid field trip.

In case of emergency affirmation

I understand, acknowledge, and agree that while attending and participating in the aforesaid field trip, if I and/or any minor children accompanying me become injured:

i) I grant permission for first aid and/or CPR to be performed, including the use of Automated Electronic Defibrillators (AED)s;

ii) I authorize the sharing of medical information with medical personnel; and

iii) I authorize, and will assume the costs of, emergency transport, if required.

Indemnification

I agree to indemnify and hold harmless on behalf of myself, my family and next of kin, personal representatives, assigns, executors, administrators, successors, and heirs the Central Canadian Federation of Mineralogical Societies (CCFMS), in The Brantford Lapidary and Mineral Society, including their board/council members, representatives, agents, servants, and successors, for all manner of actions, suits, demands, and claims whatsoever in connection with all and any injuries to myself, and/or any minor children accompanying me; and damage or loss of my property or property belonging to any minor children accompanying me while attending and participating in the aforesaid field trip; and which takes place on the date of my signature on the accompanying SISO (sign-in/sign-out sheet).

This agreement shall be binding on my heirs, executors, and administrators.

I acknowledge that I have carefully read the entire contents of this Liability Waiver and that I understand

i) The potential risks and dangers incidental to attending and participating in the aforesaid field trip;

ii) That I am fully aware of the legal consequences of this Liability Waiver and that I understand I am waiving certain rights and assuming the risk of all injuries and damages arising from attending and participating in the aforesaid field trip; and

iii) That I agree to its terms and conditions.

I, also, acknowledge that I have carefully read, understand, and agree to the CCFMS Code of Ethics and the Health & Safety Best Practices for field trips that can be found on the CCFMS website.

Please note: Anyone attending and participating in the aforesaid field trip, including parents/guardians accompanying minor children, who do not wish to accept the risks and dangers described in this Liability Waiver should not sign this document and will not be allowed to attend and participate in the aforesaid field trip.