Australian organisations can reap significant rewards from a new travel risk management standard, an industry leader says.

The standard was developed in the UK, but Australian businesses would be wise to adopt it, according to CGU-owned emergency management group Dynamiq.

“Australia is one of two countries that has said its domestic health and safety laws for employees will apply overseas, and that can leave employers exposed,” CEO Daniel Pritchard told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“For the first time we have a set of guidelines that shows what ‘good’ looks like, and it’s a great opportunity for businesses to take a look at what they have in place.

“I’ve spoken to a number of insurers and they look at this very favourably.

“The more preparation and awareness you provide to your people, the more your incident rate goes down.”

Increasing numbers of people will be working in overseas locations, Mr Pritchard says.

“By 2020 there will be 50% more mobile workers. And they won’t just be sent abroad for an assignment. Working remotely will become more common – some people may never come back to base.”

The court appearance last week by a group of Australians who stripped to their swimwear at the Malaysian Grand Prix shows how issues can arise in other jurisdictions, he says.

“Different standards apply and there is an entirely different legal system. You can fall foul of it even though your intentions may have been innocent.”

Mr Pritchard says insurers are increasingly keen to get involved with corporate travel risk management.

“Insurance is fantastic to assist an organisation in recovering financially after a loss. But insurers are more and more looking to educate clients, and clients want to know their risks.”

The new standard – PAS 3001:2016 – was developed by the British Standards Institution.