Students and trainees, including children, on work experience are regarded in health and safety law as employees. Students on work experience placements must be provided with the same health, safety and welfare protection given to other employees. Restrictions may apply to the types of work which young people, including pupils below the MSLA on work experience, are allowed to do.
Children in their last year of compulsory schooling take part in work experience schemes approved by the LEA or, in Scotland, the education authority. No distinction is made between special schools and other schools, or between schools maintained by LEAs and those not so maintained. Children in their last year of compulsory schooling will be allowed to participate in properly authorised work experience schemes in industrial as well as non-industrial undertakings, but not on ships. This arrangement was extended to provide all pupils with at least two weeks curriculum-based workplace activity before they leave school.
Anyone receiving relevant training (work experience provided as part of a training course or programme, or training for employment or both) should be treated as employees for the purposes of health and safety legislation.
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