Posted By Paul Craythorne
Dear All,

I am currently in the process of writing policies/procedures on the following subjects and wondered whether any of you kind folks had already gone through this exercise and wouldn't mind e-mailing me a copy:

* Bomb threats and suspicious packages

* Lone working

* Travel (domestic & foreign)

* New and expectant mothers

* Stress

* Young persons

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,

Paul Craythorne

Posted By Ken Urquhart
Paul,

I can't send you procedure or absolute policies but offer the following comments which might be of use.

For International Travel have a look at IOSH's own publication "Safety in the Global village".
It is downloadable from the IOSH site

Technical infosheets
Safety in the global village
10 pages. Published 1999 (160 KB)

Also for travel, refer to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site.
http://www.fco.gov.uk

There is much guidance on this site and specific country guidance.

Currently Global HEALTH issues post SARS are important and I would suggest that you refer amongst others to the UK Department of Health Web site;
www.doh.gov.uk/
The Public Health Laboratories site in UK;
www.phls.co.uk/
The World Health Organisations site for "Travel Advisories";
www.who.int/en/

Also look at the F&CO UK site for the regular reports from the UK embassies and missions around the world.
This will give you country/region specific information on all manner of travel and work/business issues.
Check out also the Country that you are planning to send people to - many have there own government web sites with information similar to the UK's in regard to Travel, Health, Security and in this day and age Terorism.

I would suggest that your Policy and your organistions Health Insurance needs to be well organised and offer a high degree of cover as costs in some countries are significant, and in others, facilities are, to put it bluntly crude to non existent. Medi-vac costs can be expensive.

I would also suggest that you consider the current state of Health of the employees that you are sending abroad.
Do they have any conditions that might be exacerbated by the conditions/climate of the country/region that they are going to.

This is not a Holiday trip that they are going on - it is work and whilst some of it may be social, it will involve rapidly adapting to new and strange environments, conditions, food, water, weather, pollution, country time and work patterns/hours etc etc Also language and communication issues.
All of these factors can and do create pressures/stresses on the individual until they get orientated and acclimatised.

Your International travel policy also needs to think about and communicate information/guidance on "Culture" and "Behaviour - as in the behaviour of your people whilst they are in the host country and of there expectations of the behaviour, customs and practices of the peoples of whose country they are visiting.

if you are sending Female personnel overseas, especially if unaccompanied then you need consider how a "lone female' in a foreign contry might expect to be treated/accepted/related to.
There are also questions/issues of Dress code for both male and female personnel.

You should also warn your personnel that in some of the remoter or less advanced global locations they may witness or be exposed to practices and behaviours that they find it difficult to accept or to cope with.

Suggest that you also incorporate a section in the Policy/Procedure regarding DRUGS/SUBSTANCES/ALCOHOL and necessary and genuinely prescribed medications - Always carry evidence.

Penalties in some countries for Drug/Substance offences are extreme and severe and incidents DO HAPPEN.

As regards your Terror/Bomb threat procedure.
Have a look at the Home Office web site:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Yoyu can "Download" a publication from this site entitled;
BOMBS - Protecting Peolpe and Property.
This booklet gives plenty of Guidance for policy and procedure formulation.
From:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/te...orts/index.html#guidance
Bombs: protecting people and property - a handbook for managers (file size 709 Kb)
(Practical guidance for businesses and organisations)

There is plenty more information and numerous links from the UK Home Office site as regards Terrorism/Bomb threat etc.

If your organisation is likely to have personnel located for periods to work abroad then there are numerous agencies apart from the Govt., ones already mentioned that can also offer guidance and help.

If you are setting up a permanent operation in another country then talk as well to the International Chambers of Trade, The British Council, The CORONA Womens Society,The Department of Trade and Industry, etc etc.

Hope this information is of interest and help.
Kind regards.
Ken Urquhart

Posted By Eric Burt
Paul

In respect of domestic travel the Dept of Transport have issued Work-related Road Safety guidance on 4th July which the HSE will be publishing later this summer.

You can get copies of this document from Mrs M Kochhar, Zone 2/11, Road Safety Division, DfT, 76 Marsham St, London, SW1P 4DR

The DfT are also asking for feedback on the guidance (presumably so that they can make any last minute alterations before it goes for publication). I've had a read and it's quite good.

I don't think it available on the web yet but I have a paper copy I could send if anyone can't get hold of a copy.

The document states that enforcement action by the HSE will usually be confined to incidents where the police identify serious management failures have been a significant contributory factor in the incident.

It also covers the contentious issue of mobile phones and driving.


When you are looking at the pregnancy / nursing mothers at work issue, check out the two HSE documents " New and Expectant Mothers at Work" and "Infection Risks to New and Expectant Mothers in the Workplace". They are both very good.

Hope this helps,



Eric