Safety Expert Group

This Expert Group works on a range of issues related to safety. Safety of human life is a fundamental consideration in all national Antarctic program activities. Below are just a few of the topics we are currently sharing best practice and expertise on. In 2018, after a workshop at the COMNAP AGM 2018, this group added a focus on preventing harassment in the Antarctic and empowering all programs to embrace equity, diversity and inclusivity in all Antarctic operations, in research, and in on- and off-ice activity.

Preventing Harassment & Focusing on Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity

COMNAP is committed to preventing harassment in the workplace. This includes at our Secretariat, during our in-person meetings and at our events. It also includes respectful behaviour during our virtual meetings. For the Secretariat, we follow the University of Canterbury’s policy on prevention of bullying and harassment that can be found here and the University’s equity & diversity policy that can be found here.

COMNAP is committed to ensuring our Member National Antarctic Programs are meeting their goals for preventing harassment and for increasing diversity, equity & inclusivity in their Antarctic teams. In support of this, COMNAP convened the “Preventing Harassment Safety Expert Group” Workshop 2018, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Information discussed at the workshop and workshop outcomes can be found here.

As a result of this open and collaborative conversation, we continue to work together to improve gender equality, inclusivity, and for developing recommendations that allow for safe reporting and communication of harassment or unwanted advances or inappropriate behaviour in Antarctica. Also as a result of the workshop, National Antarctic Programs were invited to share their sexual harassment policies and any training and educational materials that support prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace including in Antarctica. All shared documents can be found in the Member’s Only Documents in the COMNAP database.

As agreed during AGM 35 (2023), COMNAP is working on a project on “Improving EDI and Preventing Harassment in Antarctica”. More information about this project, can be found on the Improving EDI and Preventing Harassment in Antarctica webpage.

More information can be found from a range of sources, such as:

  • Pride in Polar Research
    Follow them on Twitter (@pridepolar) and Facebook, and join their mailing list.

  • The APECS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Project
    The DEI Project Group aims to ensure that one’s identity is not a barrier to success in polar science. They have compiled a repository of resources on Safety in science, Gender, LGBTQIA+, Ethnicity, Parenthood, Indigenous communities, Disability, Community Guidelines, and Networks.

  • The COMNAP representative on the SCAR Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group is COMNAP MNAP for Poland, Agnieszka Kruszewska.

Tsunami Awareness in Antarctica

The 2011 COMNAP report Understanding Risk to National Antarctic Program Operations and Personnel in Coastal Antarctica from Tsunami Events (2011) ran models based on ten historic earthquake events within the Pacific Rim. It revealed that major earthquakes as far away as Alaska could produce significant waves in Antarctica. Other potential sources of tsunami in Antarctica are the Java Trench in the Indian Ocean and the South Sandwich Trench in the South Atlantic. Submarine volcanoes and volcanic islands in the Peninsula region could also be threats.

Download the COMNAP Tsunami Awareness in Antarctica (October 2023) here.

Understanding Risk to National Antarctic Program Operations and Personnel in Coastal Antarctica from Tsunami Events, WP13 submitted by COMNAP to ATCM XXXV can be found here.

COMNAP Preliminary Research Report: Understanding Risk to National Antarctic Program Operations and Personnel in Coastal Antarctica from Tsunami Events, Attachment 1 to WP13 submitted by COMNAP to ATCM XXXV can be found here.

UNESCO/IOC (2020), Preparing for Community Tsunami Evacuations, Manuals and Guides, 82.
English Version
UNESCO/COI (2020), Preparación para Evacuaciones de Comunidades en Caso de Tsunami, Manuales y guías, 82.
Spanish Version