Coronavirus – time to dust off your travel for work policy and risk assessment?

Do you have a workplace travel policy and risk assessment?  Is it up-to-date?

On the 30th of January, WHO (the World Health Organisation) declared the new coronavirus (novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)) outbreak, a global emergency. With countries telling its citizens not to travel to China and embassies arranging transport for nationals to get back home, it is a building crisis on a global scale.

This is a stark reminder to review your travel policy and risk assessments and ensure that it is fit for purpose. Having a travel policy which is being ignored because of ‘business need’ is indicative of a poor safety culture and puts you and your team at risk. We need to ensure our staff understand the safety approach adopted and why.

Foreign business travel is possible. But consider how you would manage if a key worker was required to stay in enforced isolation for two weeks or was unable to return to the UK due to a foreign country imposing a ‘lock-down’.

Make sure that you speak to your insurer before a trip and check the Foreign and Commonwealth travel advice web pages as well as guidance issued by Public Health England.

If you would like further advice on drafting an effective travel policy and risk assessment then do get in touch.