Dying to know: Death during geological fieldwork

Abstract

Fieldwork is a common element of geological research and education, and it involves many types of risk and reward. This study introduces a database of historical deaths during geological fieldwork to understand the causes of death, the most extreme consequence of physical risk, in the field. Most deaths in the field are unintentional. The database shows that vehicles and environmental risks from terrain, climate, and animals cause most unintentional deaths in the field. Most intentional deaths in the field result from conflict between geologists and community members, often related to land rights or political strife. Causes of geologist deaths in the field are compared to visitor deaths in the US National Parks and US workplace fatalities generally, revealing similarities and differences. This study highlights the central importance of site selection in managing risk during fieldwork. It also makes recommendations for how these data might inform teaching, research, and recruitment, especially regarding risk mitigation and student conceptions of workplace safety.