Employee Safety: Travel Guides

You are responsible for traveling employees' safety. It's good to tell them what not to do. It's better to teach them how to be alert and anticipate and avoid trouble.

If you must drive a car that does not have an air conditioner, understand the risks of driving with your windows down. Be alert.Lesson 5: Know When You're Being FollowedKatz's caution to "Be alert" transitions into a discussion about kidnapping. He reminds us that the best way to survive a hostage situation is not to become a hostage in the first place. Then he reviews how to recognize whether you're being followed.

Katz reiterates the three-times rule: If you see the same person or vehicle three times, separated by time and distance, you should assume you're being followed. Then it's time to check whether you can trust the local copsor if it's time to head to the U.S. embassy.

Katz reviews basics such as making sure you know who to call in case of an emergency.

Then there's the advice for what one should do if he does become the victim of an attack and kidnapping.

Katz talks first about not resisting an attack, unless you're certain that you can escape. He emphasizes that there are several schools of thought on this, but for the most part, he recommends obeying your captors. You should remain calm and cooperative, quiet and undemanding. That said, you do have basic needs. It's important to eat and drink when nourishment is provided, in case it's withheld later. It's also vital to maintain a sense of awareness and calm in all situations.

Katz ends this section where he started: Staying alert can prevent you from being victimized. "It's always easier to avoid getting into a bad situation than it is to get out of one once you're in it." Lesson 6: Set Up Check-In Calls, And Don't Forget Those MedsKatz concludes with a review of his travel safety checklist. It's full of communications, common sense and backup copies.

Employees should leave a copy of their travel itinerary both at home and in the office. They should leave updated emergency contact information at the office. Employees should know to make arrangements for regular check-in calls at home and work. If they fail to call, you'll want to follow up.

And don't forget personal documents and health-care-related concerns. It's good practice for travelers to photocopy the contents of their wallet, passport and visa. They should take passport photos with them, and bring a list of the phone numbers of overseas credit card contacts (to cancel them in case a wallet is lost or stolen). Keep these copies in your carry-on and checked luggage. And advise employees to check that their health insurance is valid overseas. They should bring prescription medications in original containers and extra containers and then keep them in two separate places. And take copies of the prescriptions too.