DUTY OF CARE


The introduction in 2007 of the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act has highlighted the need for UK- based businesses and organisations to have the appropriate policies and risk assessments in place to manage their staff while abroad. Before organisations allow staff to travel abroad they must ensure that they are fully prepared to deal with potential problems.


Insurance cover It is not enough for employers to rely on standard Employers’ Liability insurance, which does not normally cover staff working abroad for extended periods. Country-specific policies may also be required. In many countries it is a statutory requirement for employers to have liability cover for employees who are injured or contract a work-related illness.


Risk profile Working abroad can expose business travellers to a host of risks they rarely face in their UK workplaces.


According to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), building a risk profile – an individual risk assessment for an employee travelling abroad – is the best starting point for managing risks to work travellers and delivering duty of care. More generally, companies should consider establishing an international policy to guide overseas travel.


Health and wellbeing For employees seconded abroad on longer placements, the issue of emotional wellbeing should also be considered. Many overseas placements fail due to psychological distress or difficulties in adjusting to foreign cultures. Employee Assistance Programmes can offer employees access to confidential support, practical information and advice throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America.


Many employers do operate a travel health policy specifying a maximum number of days per year that employees


can travel. It is in the interests of both the employer and the employee to check regularly whether that limit is being exceeded.


For a comprehensive overview of employer obligations, see “Safety without borders: keeping your staff happy and healthy abroad”, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), revised February 2012. A PDF is available online at www.iosh.co.uk/techguide.


If your staff are healthy and safe while working abroad, they’ll also be well placed to produce top quality work.


Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)


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