British workers have found various construction jobs overseas in the last couple of decades as they search for new challenges, better pay or maybe an escape from these shores. In the pursuit of a new job or even a new life overseas, sometimes UK workers overlook the fact that different countries have different laws and regulations.

The welcome news that UK construction related deaths fell by 20 percent in 2009 also serves as a reminder that we have very successful stringent health and safety regulations over here. Whilst most countries in Europe and the United States have strict regulations in place, British workers looking for employment need to be aware that not all construction jobs overseas will be subject to similar health and safety laws.

Basically the Health & Safety at work act of 1974 does not apply to individuals when working for a company overseas. Therefore it is important to establish before leaving the UK for construction jobs overseas, what obligations your employer has in case an accident happens causing serious injury.

Before signing a contract it makes sense to check these issues and if necessary have a lawyer check the details for you. Seeking advice from the country you will be working in is a good idea too, as health and safety regulations would normally be specific to that particular country.

The safety record in UK construction is good but is still not perfect by any means with 41 of 151 workplace deaths related to this industry. However, it is much better than most other countries, so it is as well to do your research before agreeing to construction jobs overseas.