A medical and travel security risk services company has come up with a practical working check list for companies struggling with changes to health and safety laws, especially staff or contractors sent overseas.

International SOS survey has found more than one-third of companies believe complying with legal obligations of Duty of Care is their biggest challenge.

Spokeswoman Bryony Hardy said 42 per cent of businesses say they need support to understand the legal obligations regarding duty of care, which is why they have come up with the check list.

"It means that rather than just talking generically about legislation changes, and everybody knowing that they're now personally liable, that there's possibly fined and they can go to jail, it's looking at practically what I need to do."

She said the changes are particularly relevant to companies that send staff or contractors overseas on business, or who have expatriate staff living abroad.

But she said the most likely threats to personal safety are more common occurrences like road accidents, and petty crime.

"It's extremely important the risk assessments are based on the destination and the individual traveller not just the perceived risk, not just what's on our face and what we're thinking about because of what's been in the news so much."