Xplore Global Health, Safety & Crisis Management Policy

Applies To: All Xplore programs, staff, participants, partner schools, and facilities worldwide

PURPOSE & COMMITMENT

At Xplore, the health, safety, dignity, and overall wellbeing of every participant, team member, partner, and local community we work with comes first. We understand that choosing to travel, train, or teach abroad is a big step, and you deserve to feel supported, protected, and respected at every stage of the journey.

Our Global Health & Safety Policy is designed to give you clarity and confidence. It outlines the minimum safety standards we uphold worldwide, how we respond in a crisis or emergency, the medical and mental health considerations that help ensure participants are prepared for the experience, the practical steps we take to reduce risk, our insurance and liability expectations, and the processes we use to regularly review and improve what we do.

This policy applies across all countries where we operate and replaces any previous location-specific policies, ensuring one consistent, global standard of care for everyone in the Xplore community.

DUTY OF CARE FRAMEWORK

Xplore’s duty of care includes:

Risk identification and mitigation
Participant briefing and safety orientation
Emergency preparedness and response
Transparent communication with stakeholders
Continuous review and improvement

Participants also share responsibility by:

Following safety instructions
Maintaining required insurance
Disclosing relevant medical conditions
Complying with local laws

EXCURSIONS & CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

All excursions are risk assessed prior to operation.

General Safety Measures

Staff supervision
First aid kits present
Clear safety briefing prior to activity
Participants may opt-out of physical activities
Signed waivers where applicable

Higher-Risk Activities

Examples: Muay Thai training, hiking, animal handling

Medical self-declaration required
Optional participation
Clear risk communication
Zero tolerance for unsafe conduct

Alcohol

Permitted only at designated events
Staff supervision required
Excessive consumption prohibited
Zero tolerance for alcohol during transport

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES STANDARDS (GLOBAL)

All Xplore-approved accommodations and classrooms must meet the following minimum standards:

Fire & Building Safety

Functional smoke detectors
Fire extinguishers on each floor
Clearly marked fire escape routes
Emergency lighting where applicable
Annual fire safety briefing for participants

Security

Controlled entry access where possible
CCTV in shared spaces (where permitted by law)
Restricted access to high-risk areas (e.g., rooftops, kitchens unless supervised)

Health Standards

Clean, sanitary bathrooms
Safe drinking water access
Proper ventilation and climate control
Kitchen safety management for cooking activities

Smoking Policy

Smoking permitted only in designated outdoor areas.
Strictly prohibited indoors.

TRANSPORT SAFETY

Approved Transport

Licensed, insured private hire providers
Seatbelt use mandatory where available
Staff supervision during group transport
Speed compliance required

Open-Air or Local Transport

Used only for short, low-speed journeys
Staff must accompany participants
No alcohol or smoking permitted

Motorbikes & Scooters

Prohibited during orientation and training period
Strongly discouraged thereafter
Xplore assumes no liability for scooter use
Participants bear all medical and legal responsibility

MEDICAL & MENTAL HEALTH ELIGIBILITY

Insurance Requirement

All participants must:

Hold comprehensive international medical insurance
Cover accident, illness, hospitalization, and evacuation
Provide proof upon arrival

Medical Disclosure

Participants must disclose:

Chronic physical conditions
Mental health diagnoses
Prescription medications
Mobility limitations
Conditions requiring ongoing treatment
Failure to disclose may result in removal from program.

Visa & Work Permit Medical Restrictions

Each country maintains its own visa medical standards. Certain conditions may:

Require a doctor’s note
Limit placement options
Prevent visa approval
Require longer lead time
Be subject to host country drug testing policies

Examples of commonly restricted conditions globally:

Epilepsy
Active TB
HIV (country dependent)
Severe psychiatric conditions
Insulin-dependent diabetes (context dependent)
Conditions requiring injected biologics
Severe mobility impairments affecting teaching duties

Final eligibility is determined by host country regulations.

INSURANCE & LIABILITY

Participants acknowledge:

Xplore is not liable for injuries arising from third-party transport, accommodation, or optional activities.
Participants assume risk for voluntary activities.
Participants are responsible for scooter/motorbike use.
Medical costs remain participant responsibility via insurance.

These terms are reinforced in signed Terms & Conditions.

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

Xplore recognizes mental health as critical to participant wellbeing.

We provide:

Country-specific English-language mental health resource lists
Emergency hotline information
Hospital guidance
Counseling provider contacts

In a mental health emergency:

Contact local emergency services immediately
First Responder must accompany participant where possible
Family/agent informed appropriately
Incident report completed

Participants experiencing severe instability may be withdrawn from placement for safety.

DRUG & ALCOHOL POLICY

Zero tolerance for illegal drug use.
Drug-related incidents may result in immediate removal.
Alcohol misuse that endangers safety may result in removal.
Host country laws strictly apply.

CHILD SAFEGUARDING & PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

Participants must:

Follow school safeguarding policies
Maintain professional boundaries
Report concerns immediately
Comply with local child protection laws

Allegations of misconduct trigger immediate investigation.

NATURAL DISASTER & POLITICAL UNREST

In case of:

Earthquake
Flood
Typhoon
Coup or violent protest
Travel advisories

Xplore will:

Monitor official advisories
Relocate participants if necessary
Coordinate with embassies
Consider evacuation or program suspension

EMERGENCY RESPONSE STRUCTURE

Xplore operates a Crisis Response & Management Team (CRMT) globally.

Structure

Country-based First Responders
Country CRMT Coordinator
CRMT Chair
Deputy Chair
Central Committee

Emergency Protocol (Global)

Ensure immediate safety
Contact emergency services
Notify CRMT Coordinator
Inform CRMT Chair
Inform agent and family where appropriate
Draft Incident Report
Implement action plan
Conduct lessons learned review

CRISIS TYPES COVERED

This policy includes response plans for:

Medical emergency
Motor vehicle accident
Physical assault
Sexual assault
Arrest
Drug or alcohol overdose
Natural disaster
Political unrest
Fire
Death of participant

Each case requires:

Immediate response
Documentation
Stakeholder communication
Post-incident review

INCIDENT DOCUMENTATION

All crises require:

Initial Incident Report
Final Report
Lessons Learned Report

Reports must document:

Timeline
Actions taken
Stakeholders informed
Outcome
Policy improvements required

Reports are confidential and stored securely.

TRAINING & REVIEW

Xplore conducts:

Annual full policy review
Biannual crisis simulation exercises
Staff first aid refreshers
Fire safety drills at accommodations
Risk assessments for each program

Policy updates are documented and communicated globally.

GLOBAL RISK MANAGEMENT CYCLE

Xplore follows a 4-stage model:

Planning
Implementation
Testing & Exercises
Program Improvement

Lessons learned are integrated into SOP updates.

PARTICIPANT BRIEFING REQUIREMENTS

All participants must receive:

Safety orientation
Fire evacuation briefing
Transport safety guidance
Scooter warning
Mental health resource overview
Emergency contact sheet

POLICY REVIEW

This Global Health & Safety Policy:

Replaces all previous country-specific versions
Applies across all Xplore programs
Is reviewed annually
May be updated immediately if risk environment changes