Participant Information and Consent Form for Construction Companies

This Participant Information and Consent Form explains the processes involved with taking part in a research project on reducing greenhouse gases in the construction industry. It provides information on the purpose of the research, participation requirements, benefits and risks, and contact information for further questions or complaints. The form is designed for participants from construction companies and those working in the private sector. Participation is voluntary and requires answering survey questions and providing personal information. The data collected will be used solely for obtaining a degree in project management and will not be used for any other purpose. The form also includes a consent section for participants to sign if they choose to take part in the research project.

Preparing the Participant Information
and Consent Form (PICF)
Task 2.3
Student Name: Student ID:
Subject Name: Subject ID:
Date Due: Professor Name:
Participant Information Sheet/Consent Form[Date] Page 1 of 7

Participant Information Sheet/Consent Form
Participants in Construction Companies
Title
Chief Investigator/Senior Supervisor
Associate Investigator(s)/Associate
Supervisor(s)
Principal Research Student(s)
What does my participation involve?
Your participation requires understanding of the driving factors and barriers towards reducing
Greenhouse gases in the construction industry. The main factors were both enabling and
prohibiting the change; better allocation of their efforts towards strengthening their strength and
reducing their weaknesses.
1 Introduction
The aim of this study is to make you aware about drivers and barriers of reduction of
Greenhouse Gases within the industry. You are required to answer the questions after providing
some initial personal information. Please put a signature after you have finished answering the
questions.
You are invited to take part in this research project, which is called [Reducing Greenhouse
Gases: On two Perspectives]. You have been invited because [your valuable suggestions will
form critical input for the project]. Your contact details were obtained by/from [your companies].
This Participant Information Sheet/Consent Form tells you about the research project. It
explains the processes involved with taking part. Knowing what is involved will help you decide
if you want to take part in the research.
Please read this information carefully. Ask questions about anything that you don’t understand
or want to know more about. Before deciding whether or not to take part, you might want to talk
about it with a relative orfriend.
Participation in this research is voluntary. If you don’t wish to take part, you don’t have to.
If you decide you want to take part in the research project, you will be asked to sign the consent
section. By signing it you are telling us that you:
• Understand what you have read
• Consent to take part in the research project
You will be given a copy of this Participant Information and Consent Form to keep.
Please answer all the survey questions and fill-up information section about yourself. Your
answers will be used for the purpose of the study after you put your signature in the form.
Participants are requested to obtain a photocopy of the entire document from the workshop
coordinator.
Participant Information Sheet/Consent Form[Date] Page 2 of 7

2 What is the purpose of this research?
The results of this study will be used to analyse the effect of Green house gases and possible
ways to control them. Information provided by you will be considered as authenticated primary
source of data for our study. Please answer all the questions carefully. The entire data provided
by you will be solely used to obtain a degree in project management. It is assured that this data
will not be used for any other purpose. The workshop is funded by the management school of
studies and no external sponsorship was taken.
The results of this research will be used by the researcher [name of researcher]to obtain a [full
name of degree] degree.
Where the research project is investigator-initiated:
This research has been initiated by the researcher, [Title &name].
Where the research project is funded by a grant:
This research has been funded by [name of granting body].
Where the research is being coordinated outside the institution:
This research is being conducted by [name of collaborative research group or other].
3 What does participation in this research involve?
Participants will be asked to:
 Consent form will be signed prior to involvement in the research
 Initial screening processes (if any)
What is required of participants:
• All research activities impacting upon them
• Nature, number, timing and time commitment of participation,
• Duration of participant’s involvement
 Whether any part of the research activity will be recorded (video/audio)
 Details on the use of interpreters in the project
Location details and whether participants may choose the location
Reimbursements [NS 2.2.6(j), 2.2.10]
If you decide to take part in the research project, you will first be given a questionnaire asking
about [provide details]; this will determine if you are eligible to take part. Completing the
questionnaire will take approximately [1 hour].
If the screening questionnaire shows that you meet the requirements, then you will be able to
participate in the research project. The screening questionnaire may show that you cannot
participate in the research project.
Additional costs and reimbursement
There are no costs associated with participating in this research project, nor will you be paid.
However, you may be reimbursed for any reasonable travel, parking, meals and other expenses
associated with the research project visit.
4 Other relevant information about the research project
Additional information pertaining to the project are as follows;
• 95 people will be taking part in the project overall
• Participants will belong from construction companies and those working in private sector
• The size or scope of a project e.g. number of Universities,institutions or countries involved
• Whether the project involves researchers from a number of organisations working in
collaboration
• Whether this is a follow-on study/sub-study/extension study. If so, state the relationship to the
previous research.
Participant Information Sheet/Consent Form[Date] Page 3 of 7

5 Do I have to take part in this research project?
Participation in any research project is voluntary. If you do not wish to take part, you do not have
to. If you decide to take part and later change your mind, you are free to withdraw from the
project at any stage.
If you do decide to take part, you will be given this Participant Information and Consent Form to
sign and you will be given a copy to keep.
Your decision whether to take part or not to take part, or to take part and then withdraw, will not
affect your relationship with theresearchers or with RMIT University.
Submitting your completed questionnaire is an indication of your consent to participate in the
study. You can withdraw your responses any time if you change your mind about having them
included in the study, before we have analysed and published the results.
Submitting your completed questionnaire is an indication of your consent to participate in the
study. You can withdraw your responses any time before you have submitted the questionnaire.
Once you have submitted it, your responses cannot be withdrawn because they are non-
identifiable and therefore we will not be able to tell which one is yours.
Interview
You may stop the interview at any time. Unless you say that you want us to keep them, any
recordings will be erased and information you have provided will not be included in the study
results. You may also refuse to answer any questions that you do not wish to answer during the
interview.
For focus group
If you take part in a focus group you are free to stop participating at any stage or to refuse to
answer any questions. However, it will not be possible to withdraw your individual comments
from our records once the group has started, as it is a group discussion.
6 What are the possible benefits of taking part?
We cannot guarantee or promise that you will receive any benefits from this research; however,
you may appreciate contributing to knowledge. Possible benefits may include [describe any
likely benefits to the community in general or other people in the future].
If the significant benefits from the research project are to accrue to members of society in the
future and NOT to the individuals taking part in the research, this should be made clear.
There will be no clear benefit to you from your participation in this research.
7 What are the risks and disadvantages of taking part?
There are no possible negative impacts from taking part in this project.
Psychological distress
You may feel that some of the questions we ask are stressful or upsetting. If you do not wish to
answer a question, you may skip it and go to the next question, or you may stop immediately. If
you become upset or distressed as a result of your participation in the research project,
members of theresearch team will be able to discuss appropriate support for you.
Focus group discussions
Whilst all care will be taken to maintain privacy and confidentiality, you may experience
embarrassment if one of the group members were to repeat things said in a confidential group
Participant Information Sheet/Consent Form[Date] Page 4 of 7

meeting. It is advisable that you do not reveal anything too personal or that you may regret later
on.
Online surveys
This project will use an external site to create, collect and analyse data collected in a survey
format. The site we are using is [name of online survey host]. If you agree to participate in this
survey, the responses you provide will be stored on their host server. No personal information
will be collected in the survey so none will be stored as data. Once we have completed our data
collection and analysis, we will import the data to the RMIT server where it will be stored
securely for five year. The data on the host server will then be deleted and expunged.
8 What if I withdraw from this research project?
If you do consent to participate, you may withdraw at any time. If you decide to withdraw from
the project, please notify a member of the research team.
You have the right to have any unprocessed data withdrawn and destroyed, providing it can be
reliably identified.
9 What happens when the research project ends?
The participants will be provided with a summary of the results, when research project will end.
How is the research project being conducted?
10 What will happen to information about me?
Information should be provided regarding the following:
• The data collected or used is individually identifiable, re-identifiable (coded) or non-identifiable
• The data will be kept with the scholar and he will have access to it
• The participant will be asked to provide consent for the use of their data for this project only, or
for extended (related research) or unspecified (any future research) use of their data
By signing the consent form you consent to the research team collecting and using information
from you for the research project. Any information obtained in connection with this research
project that can identify you will remain confidential. The research outcomes will be available for
person’s who wants to have access to it, however confidentiality will be maintained by not
disclosing anyone’s name or details. Participants information will be kept with the scholar only.
If it is anticipated that the results will be published include the following paragraph:
It is anticipated that the results of this research project will be published and/or presented in a
variety of forums. In any publication and/or presentation, information will be provided in such a
way that you cannot be identified, except with your express permission. Confidentiality will be
maintained by not disclosing any participants name or whereabouts in the study.
When participants’ information is identifiable or re-identifiable include the following:
In accordance with relevant Australian and/or Victorian privacy and other relevant laws, you
have the right to request access to the information about you that is collected and stored by the
research team. You also have the right to request that any information with which you disagree
be corrected. Please inform the research team member named at the end of this document if
you would like to access your information.
Any information that you provide can be disclosed only if (1) it is protect you or others from
harm, (2) if specifically allowed by law, (3) you provide the researchers with written permission.
Participant Information Sheet/Consent Form[Date] Page 5 of 7

Any information obtained for the purpose of this research project and for the future research
described that can identify you will be treated as confidential and securely stored.
If additional use of the information is contemplated, this should be explained and specific
consent should be sought from the participants for that additional use.
11 Who is organising and funding the research?
This research project is being conducted by [Name of person].
12 Who has reviewed the research project?
All research in Australia involving humans is reviewed by an independent group of people called
a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC). This research project has been approved by the
RMIT University HREC.
This project will be carried out according to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in
Human Research (2007). This statement has been developed to protect the interests of people
who agree to participate in human research studies.
13 Further information and who to contact
If you want any further information concerning this project, you can contact the researcher on
[040-6541655] or any of the following people:
Research contact person
Name
Position Chief investigator / Senior supervisor
Telephone
Email
14 Complaints
Should you have any concerns or questions about this research project, which you do not wish
to discuss with the researchers listed in this document, then you may contact:
Reviewing HREC name
HREC Secretary Peter Burke
Telephone [phone]
Email
Mailing address
Participant Information Sheet/Consent Form[Date] Page 6 of 7

Consent Form
Title Reducing Greenhouse Gases: On two
Perspectives
Chief Investigator/Senior
Supervisor
Associate Investigator(s)/Associate
Supervisors
Research Student(s)
Acknowledgement by Participant
I have read and understood the Participant Information Sheet.
I understand the purposes, procedures and risks of the research described in the project.
I have had an opportunity to ask questions and I am satisfied with the answers I have received.
I freely agree to participate in this research project as described and understand that I am free
to withdraw at any time during the project without affecting my relationship with RMIT.
I understand that I will be given a signed copy of this document to keep.
Name of Participant (please print)
Signature Date
Declaration by Researcher†
I have given a verbal explanation of the research project, its procedures and risks and I believe
that the participant has understood that explanation.
Name of Researcher†(please print)
Signature Date
† An appropriately qualified member of the research team must provide the explanation of,and information
concerning, the research project.
Note: All parties signing the consent section must date their own signature.
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