00:00.00 archpodnet All right everybody here's ah, a quick little segment. Um as a rpa. Ah as a let me start over as a person who's a member of the registered professional of archaeologists I'm on the register I get emails from the Rpa. And None of them was about their new safety corner and ah they have a whole website. It's our Rpa net dot org forward slash safety guides and that'll be in the show notes for this podcast but it's just got. A whole bunch of you know, handy links and rights and and and things like that and it's called safety guidelines for archaeologists and I think it's ah, a very timely and appropriate thing to have in our industry right now. So I thought I would bring on president current president of the Rpa Trish Fernandez to talk about. This website so trish welcome to the show. 00:46.56 Trish Fernandez Thank you very much Chris it's nice to be here. 00:49.68 archpodnet Yeah, so what was the motivation behind putting this page together. 00:55.25 Trish Fernandez Well, there's a couple things. Um and I guess I'll ah address you know what? everybody's thinking about right now and thinking about the the real tragic death a couple weeks ago um but I wanted to reiterate that. 01:06.81 archpodnet Right. 01:14.92 Trish Fernandez But I think it's important for everybody to not perpetuate information that we don't know as facts the company that is involved is still waiting for the Autopsy and and anyway so I want to be very respectful of that and. 01:20.34 archpodnet Um. 01:29.53 archpodnet Yeah, yeah. 01:34.55 Trish Fernandez And everybody involved but you know even the the idea. Um that somebody could um you know die from from heat exposure I think it's it's caused all of us to Um. To be more aware and kind of shaken us to the core. Um, and so so we wanted to um, really you knows the heat. It's the height of the field season and you know what can we do to help. 01:57.00 archpodnet For sure. 02:13.30 Trish Fernandez Um, share information. So I mean we have some some you know more lofty plans than what you're seeing on the web page now but we wanted to get this out and kind of a it's kind of a hopper you know thing just can put a lot of stuff in there. 02:20.96 archpodnet You. 02:27.71 archpodnet Um, right. 02:32.81 Trish Fernandez Um, and there you know there's a lot of things to think about. It's not just safety and ppe. But it's but it's also health and wellness. So that's why as you scroll down a little bit more you you start getting? um. 02:41.32 archpodnet Um. 02:51.59 Trish Fernandez Little topics about conflict resolution and um, you know, kind of going. There's kind of ah a you know a little little more than just physical safety. But um, yeah, the key is I mean the important thing is that I don't. 03:04.36 archpodnet Right now. 03:11.57 Trish Fernandez I Don't think that the general public realizes the dangers that we face in the field and I think the culture of archeology has been um, kind of ah dismissive of those those dangers. And so we want to shine a light on that and and make sure that everybody knows and and is thinking about this? Um, So this is ah a little baby step. Um our plans. Um. 03:37.40 archpodnet 1 up f. 03:49.46 Trish Fernandez You know we want to make this a little more interactive and you know my ah I like wanted to call it a safety corner just um, because safety tailgate didn't seem appropriate. But but yeah, we're looking to make things a little bit more interactive. 03:54.69 archpodnet Um, but. 04:08.99 Trish Fernandez Um, and this kind of devtails with our our plant for professional development. Um, and I haven't really had a chance to talk about that too much or share that with the the registrants. 04:15.51 archpodnet Um. 04:26.54 archpodnet Right. 04:28.22 Trish Fernandez But we want to use safety as um, a stepping off point for training and getting providing some certifications so this is all in the development phase and talking about you know it's it's. 04:47.37 archpodnet Um, okay, nice and I did notice in case, anybody hasn't had a chance to click on the link yet as you're listening to this. Maybe you're driving or maybe you're doing survey right now but the page is not behind a membership. 04:48.11 Trish Fernandez It's really in the in the early stages. But um, that's the other thing that we're thinking about doing with this. 05:06.64 archpodnet Right? So you don't have to be an rpa member to actually access this page which I think is a really cool thing right? You can just click on it and there's ah, there's a whole bunch of links here organized very well that you guys can see and regarding your comment about. You know, professional training and stuff like that. My god you know I've been through professional training I was in the navy had to have a lot of professional training there for certain things I did now that was twenty plus years ago but I've done things like that at various steps in my career and I mean you're right, a lot of. Safety issues and keeping people safe and doing things safe can just come with having leaders that know how to effectively lead and they don't over push when they shouldn't they don't you know, step in directions that they shouldn't go with their teams and and they understand limitations and stuff like that a lot of safety issues can be mitigated by effective leadership. I don't think we obviously have a leadership problem in archaeology because obviously we you know we have a lot of people that come up out of their undergrad had never been in some sort of leadership position then they get a master's degree or maybe even not in their their crew chiefs there. Whatever and there's there's literally no training to come along with that. The only training they have is. 06:09.63 Trish Fernandez Um. 06:18.80 archpodnet On the job training and watching other people around them which of course you know isn't always the best example either sometimes so it's it's nice to be thinking that direction. 06:25.19 Trish Fernandez Yeah, it's a huge variable I mean that's that's really that's a huge topic and that's kind of where my my heart is yeah, try not to get started on that one. 06:30.94 archpodnet Yeah. Ah. 06:40.94 archpodnet Right? right. 06:43.54 Trish Fernandez But yeah, that's going to be a that's a real push that's something I'm really trying trying to push and as part of just overall kind of overhauling the register and looking at you know why we were created and what is it that we can do and. 06:46.75 archpodnet Okay. 06:54.25 archpodnet Um. 07:03.22 Trish Fernandez What is it that we are specifically poised to do position to do that The other professional or trade organizations can't do and that is specifically grievance and credentialing and so you know we're trying to. 07:11.52 archpodnet Oh. 07:21.27 Trish Fernandez Know get art organization. Um, lean and focused and it's you know it takes it takes a while to do all of that in in a nonprofit. There's a lot more um you know coming from a or. 07:33.28 archpodnet Yeah. 07:40.54 Trish Fernandez Running an organization I'm used to just going. Okay, we're gonna do this and so it's done. Um, but um, thankfully you know Fortunately, there is you know other people have to weigh in and I've you know I've really grown to appreciate that. 07:44.80 archpodnet Right. 07:58.66 archpodnet Um, yeah. 08:00.53 Trish Fernandez Um, um, so we're hoping that this this year will be um, we'll have all those things kind of the groundwork. The foundation prepared um for the future So that there's a real solid. Structure. Um I mean we we going through the bylaws the grievance procedures the policies and procedures and employee handbook and you know lots lots of stuff that that's you know behind the scenes but we're hoping that the the programs. 08:21.20 archpodnet Um. 08:33.66 archpodnet For sure. 08:38.95 Trish Fernandez Like this ah safety corner can be the focus beginning in 2023 once we get our our ducks in a row. 08:46.90 archpodnet Sounds good. Sounds good. Yeah I you know speaking of volunteers and nonprofits for 4 years I think I ended in none right? as the pandemic was starting. Um I was the ah squarner commander of my local Reno Nevada Civil Air Patrol Squadron we had up to None people so I was in charge of. You know a none volunteers give or take and including cadets so teenagers and I'll tell you what even just getting like a few things done when you know it's volunteer. It's nonprofit. It's you know all those things it can be a real challenge so along those lines I'm wondering. 09:14.84 Trish Fernandez Believe them. 09:25.70 archpodnet I'm wondering a how you put this? ah this together and then how you're like maintaining it you know is there a group of registrants that are maintaining this um, can people submit stuff that they think might be able to go into this safety corner of area or or any other area of the register or or how is this um or is this kind of like. It for now and then we're expanding on it later. 09:46.43 Trish Fernandez Um, all of the above Chris. Um, yeah, we wanted to throw something out there and you know that that people can start looking at but we are open for suggestions and um, so. 09:48.80 archpodnet Nice. 10:04.57 Trish Fernandez This will be managed by staff. Um and the content will need to go through our executive director and also our our professional development chair. 10:05.39 archpodnet Um. 10:20.57 archpodnet Sure. 10:22.48 Trish Fernandez Um, he actually that's Matt Emerson um he is actually the person that put a lot of this together. He put together I think he he wrote a paper for the essay and um. 10:35.73 archpodnet Um. 10:39.27 Trish Fernandez That included a lot of this information so we just like yeah this is great. Just let's let's use that um so trying to you know, not recreating the wheel. Um, but we are definitely open for suggestions. Um. 10:49.12 archpodnet Ah. 10:58.70 archpodnet Okay. 10:58.34 Trish Fernandez Always um, in terms of content and um, you know how to make this more accessible and relevant I mean that's really what I've been focusing on is in my. 11:08.43 archpodnet Um. 11:15.93 Trish Fernandez Tenure here is you know how do we make the Rpa relevant for all working archeologists. Um, not just registrants. 11:20.70 archpodnet Right? Okay, sounds good. Well anything else. You would ah like us to know about the the safety corner or anything anybody listening to this because of of course not everybody listening to this is a member of the rpa I would imagine there's ah, a fair number that are listening to this but I know right. 11:39.40 Trish Fernandez Well yeah, yeah, and well you know the UK has cefa but we also are you know international. Um, and you know I'm glad you said that. 11:39.86 archpodnet Ah, but we actually have a fair number of people from the Uk as well. So. Right. 11:56.20 Trish Fernandez Not a lot of the you know some people are not rpas and that's that's really another thing that I'm really trying to address. Um, but it's not as easy as it as it sounds um, but but the initial thing we want to do is is create a student category. 12:02.91 archpodnet Um. 12:10.00 archpodnet Sure, um. 12:15.73 Trish Fernandez Of registration and because we can't do professional development. We can't really and we can't serve professional archeologists if we're not including um, all working archeologists in the rpa. 12:31.47 archpodnet Right. 12:33.74 Trish Fernandez So well, that's really very important to me and I think it's something that that the organization has has really fallen short. Um, you know we were created from sopa in the 90 s and there has not been. 12:43.94 archpodnet Are. 12:53.16 Trish Fernandez In my opinion enough. Um, updating and going back to the profession and making sure that we you know were relevant you know and and we're advocating for the archeologists not in terms of legislation. 13:04.76 archpodnet Oh. 13:11.34 Trish Fernandez But for the working Archaeologists i' very much about you know the the worker because that's that's where I mean just kind of a no brainer. Um. 13:18.63 archpodnet Yeah, indeed and that's really important too because actually the last episode we recorded which actually hasn't released as as of you and I talking here but that releases next week we interviewed a woman that works with None of our co-hosts. And she's been in archeology for like None ears She does not have a graduate degree but she is rpa she got in. You know she got in because of her work right? She's been doing a lot of things and the whole discussion was around how she's not necessarily seen as a professional by some people that she's worked with. She's not put on reports. She's not. 13:41.60 Trish Fernandez Right here. 13:53.10 Trish Fernandez Yes. 13:57.73 archpodnet Acknowledged and all because she doesn't have a graduate degree and it's ah it's a real problem in our profession and I think a big step forward was the the rpa recognizing people who don't have graduate degrees with the other levels of the register. Um, you know a couple years ago and hopefully that can expand and and take off more so we can. 14:00.76 Trish Fernandez Absolutely. 14:15.97 archpodnet You know, get that recognition that people need and support. 14:17.40 Trish Fernandez Yeah I think it's It's a good start. Um, honestly I don't think it's it's enough but I don't I don't think that the people that started it or approved it thought that it was enough either. Um, but it's it's a kind of momentum the momentum that we have to keep. Um. 14:26.59 archpodnet You sure there's always more. Yeah. 14:36.83 Trish Fernandez keep keep on it's really you know I've been on I been an rpa since 2001 and and honestly you know before I became president I really didn't know much about the organization. But i. 14:45.53 archpodnet Um. 14:56.77 Trish Fernandez But I believed in ah the idea. Um, and so here I am ah. 15:04.10 archpodnet Right? But there you go all right? Well I I really appreciate you coming on to tell our listeners about this and and hopefully everybody goes and checks it out again. That website is http://rpanet.org forward slash oh I went away from it. 15:23.83 Trish Fernandez Safety guides. Yeah. 15:23.88 archpodnet Ah, we'll edit this out forward slash safety guides. That's right? Um, so yeah, it's down in the show notes and you can check that out and again you don't need to actually be a member to see this particular page So that's really good. Check it out and see what you can learn. 15:37.30 Trish Fernandez Yeah, yeah, I wanted to say too if anybody has any questions or comments feel free to email me or or call me my information is on the on the website I'm really really interested. 15:49.87 archpodnet Um. 15:56.50 Trish Fernandez And hearing from from people out there I think you know long time ago I started the Arche Archeological Technicians um webpage and for personal reasons I had to I had to stop managing it. It got too big. Um. 16:05.79 archpodnet Friend. 16:14.18 Trish Fernandez But um, yeah I'd really the more that we hear um from you in the field what you need and what you want and what you're seeing, um the better. The better we can serve you. 16:30.50 archpodnet For sure indeed all right? Well thanks Trish for coming on and we hope to see a lot more good things from the rpa and feel free to come back anytime you guys want to talk about new things coming down the line and we'll have to get. 16:31.73 Trish Fernandez As a community. 16:45.25 Trish Fernandez Um, okay, yeah, yeah, thank you so much Chris I appreciate it bye. 16:47.57 archpodnet future future president Lisa Westwood onboard at some point as well and and talk about her term and what's coming up. No worries. Thank you and thanks everybody for listening.