General Guidance

Safety requirements apply wherever staff are working. Many countries will have their own safety legislation (some with widely differing standards) which may require specific tasks to be done.

• Check the Country Information of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website – link below.
• Checks must be done with the local British Embassy, national broadcaster, or reputable local broadcaster to determine the situation and ensure work might be carried out safely and without contravening local laws.
• Expert medical advice should be sought as to the need for vaccinations, prophylaxis, mosquito and AIDS kits etc. Those provided with such advice must heed it — remember that malaria can be fatal and is always a potentially serious illness even if immediate accurate diagnosis is made and suitable treatment given.

The need for special first aid training and/or equipment, and for routine check-ins with the UK base, must be considered when completing the risk assessment.

Other factors to consider when carrying out a risk assessment include:

• Weather, prevention of illness
• Local custom and laws
• Location
• Manual Handling, electrical safety
• Transport, public liability insurance, fitness to travel
• Communication
• Medication, First Aid and Evacuation

See our comprehensive checklists below.

Template Risk Assessment

This is a generic risk assessment covering routine hazards and controls. Your shoot, the planned action or its location may create additional hazards that you will need to add to this assessment. Fully implementing controls should reduce the risk from these hazards to the lowest level reasonably practicable, however it will not eliminate risk.

We’ve provided an estimate of residual risk based on all controls being implemented. Those accountable for making sure actions are complete should be indicated in the responsible person column.