Placement providers

Who is the placement provider?

A company or other organisation which offers work experience placements.

What is their role?

To provide safe and supportive work experience placements.

The law

The placement provider must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that their employees, including students on work experience, are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.

• The Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act
• The Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990
• The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
• The Employers Liability Compulsory Insurance Act 1969
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992
• The Working Time Regulations 1998

Health and safety responsibilities

Students participating in work experience are regarded as the placement provider’s employees for the purpose of health and safety. Placement providers should take account of any extra precautions required for young persons.

• The placement provider must comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc Act and its relevant statutory provisions.
• The provision of information, instruction, training and supervision is particularly important for new or temporary employees.
• The placement provider must assess the risks [PDF 80kb] to which employees are exposed to at work and introduce and maintain appropriate measures to eliminate or control the risks.
• Risks to young workers must be assessed before they start work, and the parents/carers of any students informed of the key findings of the risk assessment and control measures.
• The risk assessment must take into account specific factors such as immaturity, inexperience and lack of awareness, and medical conditions, physical and learning disabilities of the student.
• The placement provider must comply with any restrictions or prohibitions on work for young people.
• The placement provider should carry out induction training, including information on:
  • work activities and any associated significant risks;
  • health and safety instruction and training;
  • names of supervisors, health and safety representatives [PDF 1.6mb], and any other people taking overall responsibility for health and safety during the placement.
• The placement provider must comply with requirements under the Working Time Regulations.
• The placement provider must notify insurers [PDF 67kb] that a work experience student has been employed.