Hazards associated with travel

UCL Community may be exposed to increased risk of injury and accidents from hazards that are associated with travel. They include but are not limited to:
- Travel disruption can result in being in an unfamiliar environment without support or assistance from UCL. Hazards include well-being issues, stress, and potential accidents caused by crowds and rushing to keep time.
- Hazards are increased by conditions that may cause individuals to be stranded or enclosed in environmental situations, such as severe rainfall, heat and humidity, ice and snow, and severe winds. These conditions can lead to being wet, resulting in hypothermia; being hot, leading to dehydration and heatstroke; and ice and snow causing slips, trips, falls, or hypothermia, as well as winds causing objects to strike and injure a person. 
- Lone working.

Before Travelling - General  
- Contact UCL Insurance to check what you are covered for and ensure your own personal travel insurance is valid and sufficient.  
- Ensure you register your trip and arrange travel insurance through TravelCert to be covered by UCL's Travel Insurance Policy.  
- Book travel through the UCL approved service provider. For queries, contact the relevant UCL team.  
- Check information on local weather, power supply and adaptors required, transport, visa requirements, local embassy, culture, language and attitudes to help you plan.  
- Download travel, map, currency, sat nav and translation apps and ensure phones will work abroad.  
- Ensure your Line Manager/Supervisor has your itinerary, contact details, next of kin and hotel/travel plans – keep them up to date and arrange how you will stay in contact whilst you are away.  
- Ensure you have sufficient funds and resources for all likely outgoings including emergencies before departure.  
- Ideally plan schedule including working hours accordingly taking into consideration travel and time differences.  
- Ensure you have relevant permissions from relevant authorities before you travel.  
- All travel should be planned with enough time to allow for reasonable delays; the use of travel apps can assist in this.  

During Trip  
- When flying, drink plenty of water and move about to reduce risk of DVT.  
- Ensure you observe good personal hygiene, drink only bottled water and avoid high-risk foods.  
- Where possible, organise and arrange to be met by your local contact, collaborator or maybe arrange airport pick-up from hotel. This also applies when travelling locally.  
- If hiring a local car and driver, make some basic checks like driver’s licence, seat belts and vehicle maintenance.  
- If driving yourself, ensure you're not overly tired from the travel and the time difference. Ensure you have correct paperwork and book the car via a reputable company.  
- Check the vehicle before setting 

Hazard associated with means of transport

UCL community may be exposed to increased risk of injury and accidents when travelling without appropriate and competent means of transport.

Car Travel, Private Vehicles, University Owned Vehicles, and Hired Vehicles  
- Using reputable companies for travel ensures that the operators and vehicles meet national or international regulations.  
- Using local transport may not be well regulated in some areas, such as finding local buses, taxis, tuk-tuks, minibuses, and the increased risks of using such transport must be appreciated and an alternative sought.  
- If a driver is hired or a firm with drivers, part of the due diligence before the contract is agreed is to ensure that the drivers are competent. This can be based on the reputation of the company.  
- If hiring a local car and driver, make some basic checks like driver’s licence, seat belts, and vehicle maintenance.  
- If driving yourself, ensure you're not overly tired from the travel and the time difference. Ensure you have correct paperwork and book the car via a reputable company.  
- Check the vehicle before setting off for its condition, correct equipment provided, adequate fuel (e.g., hazard triangle, hi-viz jacket as required locally and for any vignette/motorway passes required).  
- If you drive regularly during your travel, where possible consider asking/offering the advanced driving course, preferably in the vehicle you will be driving; an example of such course: https://www.gov.uk/pass-plus  
- Where possible, only carry essential equipment, valuables, and money and be inconspicuous where possible.  

Taxis  
- Pre-book or telephone a local known/reputable company – ideally those that are on the UCL suppliers list.  
- Use licensed taxis only/use a taxi rank.  

Coach / Bus  
- Plan the journey carefully (e.g., transfers to hotel).  
- Use reputable companies (National, Local bus service).  
- Note emergency exits on the coach/bus.  

Rail / Underground  
- Plan the journey carefully (e.g., transfers to hotel).  
- Observe all safety procedures and notices.  
- Stand back from platform edges.  
- Avoid isolated unmanned stations, especially after dark.

Hazard associated with accommodation

UCL community may be exposed to increased risk of injury and accidents when travelling without appropriate and competent means of transport.

Poor accommodation standards and security increase the risk of injury, ill health, or loss. Poor accommodation security may mean that thieves can access rooms, threatening persons and property. Poor hygiene or building quality can result in the threat of haematophagous biting insects carrying disease. Fire evacuation measures may be unsuitable in poor quality accommodation not under the type of regulation found in the UK.

Accident, Incident or Near-miss

Whilst on UCL business, all accidents, incidents, or near-misses must be reported, whether in the UK or abroad. The Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 requires that certain accidents and dangerous occurrences must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive within seven days of the incident. Failure to do so is a criminal offence. Safety Services are responsible for reporting accidents or dangerous occurrences in the correct manner, and it is essential they are notified through the online report as quickly as possible after the accident.

- Ensure good posture and maintain the principles of remote working and DSE assessment.  
- Use handrails and walk while moving around and staircases to reduce the likelihood of collisions, slips, trips, and falls.  
- Report any accidents, incidents, or near misses to your line manager and via the riskNET Report an Incident tool as soon as possible.  
- Failure to report accidents may jeopardise any insurance claims.