While there is no requirement for an employer to carry out a separate risk assessment specifically for a young person, if they haven’t previously employed a young person they should review their overall risk assessment and take into account the specific factors for young people, before a young person starts with them.
Many workplaces should have an appointed safety representative. This will be an employee who should be able to provide advice and information about health and safety matters. This might include identifying any health and safety problems and/or developing suitable solutions.
Most employers are required by law to insure against liability for injury or disease to their employees. Those who are currently exempt include:
However, if a family business takes on an employee who is not closely related to the employer, or if a sole trader takes on an employee, then there is a requirement for them to have ELCI.
Young people may be more at risk as their muscle strength may not be fully developed and they may be less skilled in handling techniques or in pacing the work according to their ability. When assessing a young persons physical capability it could be as simple as asking yourself the question “can a still developing young person be expected to lift the weights my older, more experienced employees can?”
This doesn’t have to be a complicated process, it could be as straightforward as making sure a young person understands what is expected of them, checking they understand and are able to remember and follow instructions. It is important that young people are given the necessary training and supervision.
Harmful exposure means exposure that has long term health effects on a still developing young body. An employer should be aware of the substances a young person might come into contact with in their business and will need to consider exposure levels and ensure legal limits are met.
There is no regulatory requirement that prevents young people, including those below the age of 16, from working with ionising radiation as long as their exposure is restricted so far as is reasonably practicable and does not exceed the dose limit of 1 mSv in any calendar year.
Find out more about radiation and information on dose limits.
For many young people the workplace will be a new environment and they will be unfamiliar with ‘obvious’ risks and the behaviour expected of them in response.
Young people might need additional support to allow them to carry out their work without putting themselves and others at risk, and this might mean more tailored training and/or closer supervision. Regularly checking a young person’s progress will help identify where any additional adjustments may be needed. This is also why it's often appropriate to put age limits on the use of some equipment and machinery, such as forklift trucks and some woodworking machinery.
Find out more about training and supervision
Find out more about how to protect workers who are new to the job.
Exposure to extremes of any of these hazards carry risks for workers of all ages and could lead to health issues.
To avoid risks to young people from all these factors, employers need to comply with relevant legislation and consider a risk control programme which might include: limiting time/level of exposure; providing information, training and supervision, provision of protective equipment and health surveillance.
For workplaces that include these hazards an employer should already have the necessary control measures in place.
Further information can be found on the HSE website for temperature, noise and vibration.
While parents and carers have no responsibilities under health and safety law, you will nevertheless wish to ensure the work experience organiser has relevant information about your child’s medical or behavioural conditions, which may need to be brought to the attention of the placement provider (employer.)
When a school or college organises a work placement for a student they need to take reasonable steps to satisfy themselves that any work related risks to the student are managed by the employer. This can be done in a number of ways, informed by past experience and the degree of risk. In a low risk premises simple checks are all that is needed. For higher risk premises more robust checks are necessary.
Where there is a third party organising the placements, they should work together with the school or college ensuring that there is no duplication in arrangements or processes.
As the work experience organiser, your company needs to take reasonable steps to satisfy itself that any work related risks to a student are managed by the employer. Reasonable checks should be kept in proportion to the risks involved without second guessing the employer’s assessments and procedures.
It is important that work experience organisers do not introduce unnecessary additional paperwork that could lead to employers being discouraged. It is likely to be far more informative to talk through with the employer what work the student will do, what the relevant precautions are and the planned arrangements for the induction, training and supervision of the student.
No, a separate risk assessment, specifically for work experience students, is not necessary as long as your existing assessment already considers the specific factors for young people. Furthermore, there is no requirement to re-assess the risks each time an employer takes on a new work experience student provided the new student has no particular needs.
No, employers do not have to carry out CRB checks on anyone on work experience. Also, employers no longer need to carry out a CRB check on their staff who are supervising young people aged 16 or 17 on work experience. The Department for Education will be able to provide more advice if needed. (NB: CRB checks are not something that fall under the remit of occupational health and safety legislation).
Employer’s liability insurance policies already often cover work placements, so there is no need for an employer to obtain any additional insurance if they take on work placements, provided they notify the insurer before the placement starts.
Where an employer doesn’t currently require employer’s liability insurance and they are going to take on a work placement, they should discuss the situation with their insurers to ensure they have adequate insurance cover. It would depend on what exactly the nature of the work placement was, the level of risk, what the student is going to be doing, etc.
The right start
Work experience for young people
Health and safety training: A brief guide
Health and safety of children and young people in catering
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