Nelson Rock and Mineral Club is proud to follow a code of conduct aimed at ensuring the safety of its members and others whilst engaged in fieldwork, and protecting the value and integrity of geological sites.
The Code of Conduct is presented below. All members agree to abide by this code both during Club meetings and field trips, and during privately organised geological excursions.
A copy of the Code of Conduct can be downloaded here
Nelson Rock and Mineral Club
Code of Conduct
Members should strive to sustain and promote the good name of the Club by acting with courtesy to landowners, other collectors and members of the public. Private fossicking trips by members must be regarded as subject to this same code of conduct.
All Club members are required to conform to the local by-laws and to all regulations promulgated from time to time by the Club.
The Club shall not accept any responsibility for personal injury or loss incurred by any member or guests on field trips, outings or in the Club rooms (or place of Club meeting etc).
Permission must be obtained before entering private property and all property must be left as found. Stock, implements, fences or buildings must NOT be interfered with, and if holes are dug, these MUST be filled in before leaving the site.
Nelson Rock and Mineral Club has a DoC permit for DoC-managed country. This includes areas in Abel Tasman National Park, Kahurangi Park, the Richmond Ranges and Tasman Lakes. It does NOT extend outside the Nelson/Tasman region, and visits to DoC land outside this region require separate approval by DoC. The permit covers the Club only – i.e. not members visiting independently. Visits by individuals (not as part of a Club trip) should seek permission from DoC for any fossicking activity on DoC land.
It is the responsibility of the trip leader to give a site briefing at the start of each field trip. This should include relevant details about conditions of access to the site(s), hazards and safety precautions and other matters relating to the advised behaviour of participants whilst on the site(s).
Field trip leaders should ensure that they have a list of all participants before the trip starts, and should repeatedly check that everyone is present or can be accounted for. Parties should not leave sites until all participants can be accounted for. Any member wishing to arrive late for a field trip or leave early must advise the trip leader, both for safety purposes and as a courtesy.
No member shall carry firearms or any other offensive weapons on Club field trips. Dogs are also not permitted on Club field trips.
Anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs will NOT be allowed to participate in field activities.
Due care must be taken on outings to ensure the safety both of participants and others during field activities. Whilst engaged in field activities, particular care must be taken to avoid releasing loose rock or debris that might endanger others, and the risk of fire should be observed during dry conditions. Likewise, streams and other deep water should only be entered after an appropriate assessment of the risks involved. As a minimum precaution, the trip leader should carry a basic first aid kit.
Shafts or tunnels or any area that has been mined may be entered only under the strict supervision of the field trip leader or another competent authority, and only then if the leader approves. The strictest safety precautions are to be observed by those participating, including the use of relevant clothing and safety equipment. Suitable lighting and other necessary safety equipment must be available before the area (shaft or tunnel) is entered.
Sharp pieces of rock or other potential obstacles must not be left on roadways or other thoroughfares where injury to property or persons might occur. Likewise, participants must not leave litter on any site.
It is Club policy to encourage the involvement of children in geological activities, including field trips. However, special attention to safety is required when children are present, and all children must be closely supervised by a competent adult.
Participants must wear appropriate attire on all field trips. This should include high-visibility vests in quarries or other working areas (e.g. roadways), safety helmets in areas where rock falls are possible (e.g. quarries, cliff faces), and goggles where rock is being forcibly broken nearby. Stout footwear and weather-proof clothing are recommended on all trips into rough terrain. It is the duty of the trip organiser to specify relevant attire in advance of the trip. The field trip leader may refuse to permit people to participate in the trip if their clothing is unsuitable.
When fossicking, Club members should only remove specimens that they need for display or further investigation. Excessive collecting causes permanent damage to sites and reduces their scientific and educational value and should be avoided at all times.
Recognised geological sites in New Zealand are classified by levels of importance and vulnerability*. This classification sets out restrictions on collecting, aimed at ensuring the protection of these sites. All Club members should abide by these restrictions at all times. It is the duty of the field leader to check the classification of any site visited, and to notify participants of the restrictions that apply.
* New Zealand Geopreservation Inventory GSNZ Miscellaneous Publication(s) Vols 104, Nelson and Marlborough, and 105, West Coast region.