STEP 3: RISK ASSESSMENT
For most types of travel completion of the Overseas Travel Cover Form will be your Risk Assessment.
However, in some cases, usually dependent on the area visited or the activity undertaken (e.g. attending a conference in an FCDO listed country, carrying out fieldwork) your completion of the on-line Travel Cover Form must be supplemented with a specific Activity Risk Assessment, which identifies the risks and controls. This will need to be agreed and approved at a College / School / Department level.
For all Group Fieldwork overseas a Fieldwork Risk Assessment is required, just as within the UK.
Preparing the Activity Risk Assessment should not be onerous, and if done in good time before leaving is a useful aide in helping plan general trip logistics to make sure everything is in place. This includes pre-trip arrangements, those once overseas and Emergency Procedures in the event something does go wrong. Do remember some arrangements must be planned for. Examples include; Visas, Passport or vaccinations to be administered a set time before departure or in doses weeks apart.
The main Overseas Travel Page provides links to sources of information and Handbooks to help work out what needs to be covered in an Activity Risk Assessment e.g. political situation, vaccinations, differences in health and safety standards.
The Taught Fieldwork Handbook is especially useful, prompting about other issues that may need to be thought about when setting up overseas work or study e.g. Ethical Approval, which may be necessary dependent on the work / research being undertaken.
In addition, contact Crisis24 (main Overseas Travel Page). They provide up to the minute travel advice 24/7 365 days a year for all destinations including more general help e.g. emergency support. The World Travel Guide Net is also another useful tool when planning your trip, including the essential 'Before You Go' to make sure you have considered Visas, Health etc and other things which may have time constraints.