HEALTH AND SAFETY

International Safety Standards - GVI monitors governmental foreign policy sites like the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the US State Department, and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure that we are aware of any potential issues on the horizon.

Local Monitoring - GVI also stays abreast of local government updates in the countries in which we operate and maintain close contact with local partners operating in our location or nearby.

Risk Audits - Before we add any accommodation, tour operator, or in-country local partner to our itinerary, our GVI in-country staff conduct an in-depth risk audit of their services in collaboration with members of our Senior Management Team. Only once everyone agrees that the partner is fully vetted do we agree to make this service available to potential program participants.

Emergency Action Plans - All major foreseeable incidents have a corresponding GVI Emergency Action Plan.

Crisis Management Plans - Each GVI base is also required to have a formal Crisis Management Plan in place. It requires that GVI staff members take control of the situation, provide security, start delivering emergency care and contact Senior Management.

Evacuation Plan - All GVI bases, no matter how remote, have a medical and crisis evacuation plan in place.

Clear Communication Channels - For any plan to operate effectively, communication channels need to be setup and maintained. We ensure that all GVI staff and participants on base have the contact details of a senior staff member on base, who can contact local support staff and our central support office. It is the responsibility of a senior member of staff on base to ensure that our local partnerships are well-maintained.

Reporting

Updates Every Quarter Or After Every Incident - All GVI in-country staff are required to complete a formal Health And Safety report after any incident, whether major or minor, or, if no such incident occurred, every quarter. They are to update Senior Management about any new risks they have been made aware of, on base, in their specific location, in their city, town, or district, in their country, or in the region where they are stationed. In collaboration with Senior Management, risk assessments, emergency action plans, crisis management plans, and evacuation plans are then updated accordingly.

Checks, Maintenance, And Restocking - All GVI vehicles, activity equipment, like diving kits and telemetry devices, safety equipment, like first aid kits and fire extinguishers, are checked on a daily, weekly, quarterly, and annual basis. After any type of incident, a thorough check is also conducted. Every year many of our GVI bases also take one week or two to work only on maintenance, restocking, and repairs.

24-hour Emergency Desk - GVI's emergency phone line gives you direct access to our trained Health And Safety Coordinators as well as Senior Management at any time of day or night wherever you might be in the world. Once the incident is noted, the Emergency Action Plan for this specific scenario will take immediate effect.

Local Support - Participants have access to local medical professionals such as doctors, medics, and counsellors, vetted by GVI staff beforehand.

Medical And Dietary Requirements - GVI requires that all pre-existing medical conditions and dietary requirements be disclosed beforehand. This is the only way for us to support the advice of licensed medical professionals and ensure that participants aren’t exposed to any foods, environments, or other circumstances that could potentially cause them harm or offense.

Personal Safety Training - After settling into their accommodation, all GVI participants are required to complete Health And Safety training. This includes general instructions on how to conduct oneself as a traveler in a foreign country to ensure your personal safety as well as training on how to avoid specific safety issues to be aware of in their particular region. They are also provided with a communication card, with the relevant numbers, contacts, and addresses for our on-site and off-site staff, including the 24-hour emergency number, which we ask them to keep on their person at all times. They will also receive cultural awareness training and are instructed on how to use personal protective equipment appropriate for the project. They are also trained in how to conduct on-the-spot risk assessments to understand the severity of risk in any given scenario and what the appropriate response might be. GVI participants are also walked through the Emergency Action Plans in place for each base and print out versions are available on a designated Health And Safety board.

Safety Of Personal Belongings - Electronic devices and other valuables can be kept safe in a secure location either at the accommodation or at the project manager’s office space. GVI doesn't encourage participants to take valuables with them outside the accommodation to ensure the safety of these valuables, of participants, and any children or vulnerable adults.

GVI-specific International Health Insurance - Our insurance partner, Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI), has developed an international health insurance package specifically catered to our participants. It also covers medical emergency and disaster evacuations. A CISI GVI international health insurance policy is not covered in the program fee, but details for purchasing one can be requested by contacting your GVI Enrolment Manager or Support Coordinator. We require that all our participants submit proof of international health insurance.