COVID-19 guidance for UoB research involving human participants

End of lockdown restrictions and research involving human participants

Latest update:04/08/21

Now that most national restrictions will be lifted, Research Governance are issuing the following update to our Covid-19 guidance. If you have any questions or comments regarding this guidance, please contact research-governance@bristol.ac.uk.

Follow all national, local and institutional requirements.

The following guidance will be superseded by any return to national or regional restrictions.

Any restriction or requirement imposed in relation to any facility in which research is being conducted, whether UoB or third-party, must be strictly adhered to and you must halt research activities if instructed to do so.

Any decision to open or allow access to University buildings for research purposes will need to be made by the appropriate department or faculty. Any decision by an individual school or faculty to suspend in-person research will take precedence over this guidance.

Any decision by a participant not to attend must be respected.

Risk assessments

All research projects involving face-to-face research must have an appropriate Research Risk Assessment (PDF, 182kB) in place. For those conducted on third-party premises, this must meet any requirements of the third-party.

If there are no other requirements the risk assessment should include, as a minimum, proportionate measures to reduce the likelihood of infection (consider face coverings, cleaning, distancing and ventilation, as appropriate to the specifics of the activity), and a requirement that if any researcher or participant exhibits symptoms of Covid-19 or has a positive test result, the session (or their participation in it) will be postponed.

You can find an example Research Risk Assessment (PDF, 182kB) and further information in the University's information on planning research activities during Covid-19.