National Occupational Standards in
Archaeological Practice

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AK3 Develop your own resources and protect the interests of others

AK3.3 Contribute to the protection of individual and community interests

Performance Required

This will involve

1. Complying with best practice and legal and ethical standards in the planning and conduct of archaeological activities
2. Ensuring that agreements and transactions for services conform to legal requirements, ethical standards and recognised good practice
3. Ensuring that the needs of parties collaborating in archaeological activities are balanced against the interests and preferences of the wider community
4. Ensuring that the interests and well being of self and others directly or indirectly affected by activities are properly protected
5. Ensuring that sources of information and opinion used to inform research and analysis are investigated critically
6. Ensuring that judgements and advice are sound and justifiable and based on current information and valid and reliable criteria
7. Taking clear and unequivocal responsibility for personal decisions
8. Complying with legal requirements and ethical standards relating to intellectual property and in obtaining, using and passing on information of a sensitive personal or confidential commercial nature
9. Conducting interactions in a manner which avoids conflicts of interest and maintains your own independence and maximises the goodwill and trust of others in yourself and those you represent

Occupational Context

1. The application of ethical standards concerns the ability to:
   • situate your behaviour in the context of principles of relation and obligation
   • recognise norms of consistency in matters of intention, description and action
   • evaluate the field of occupational practice in moral terms
2. Sources of recognised good practice:
   • codes of practice within the occupation
   • discipline
   • statute law
   • voluntary codes of practice
   • duty of care
3. Conflicts of Interest:
   • offers which may result in adverse conditions to other individuals or the community
   • offers which involve the financial interest of the practitioner
   • the practitioner's family or friends
4. Systems for protection of interest:
   • insurance against risk
   • professional indemnity insurance
   • guarantees, warranties
   • contract conditions

Knowledge Requirements

You need to know and understand

Principles and law relating to:

• conflicts of interest
• ethical practice
• duty of care
• contracts (inc warranties and guarantees)
• intellectual property
• confidentiality and protection of information

Facts about:

• Contracts, agreements and offers
• Codes of professional conduct
• Insurances (hazards, business risk, professional risk)
• Data Protection Act
• Intellectual Property
• Copyright

Required Skills

N/A

Evidence Required

You should provide evidence that you can contribute to the protection of individual and community interests

The candidate should be questioned, based upon the documentation provided, to explore how they:

• Maintain ethical standards
• Use sources of recognised good practice
• Deal with conflicts of interest
• Employ systems for protection of interest

Observation of the candidate or witness testimony will be essential as evidence of performance

Evidence Rules

N/A

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Today's date: 31/7/2010
This page last updated: 27/7/2007 16:17