Beware - Young People at Work
Apr 28, 2011
It is about this time of year when health & safety concerns are raised regarding young people and school children doing work experience, starting apprenticeships or asking for summer jobs.
Some employers do see the value in supporting young people entering the world of work but there is always the fear of getting it wrong. The HSE has provided some guidance for employers taking on children for work experience and sections of this useful guidance can be extended for all young people in the workplace. Information regarding employing young people can be obtained on the HSE’s website http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/index.htm and the specific document can be downloaded free from http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg364.pdf
As a general guide we would advise the following:-
A young person is anyone under eighteen years of age. A child is anyone who is not over compulsory school age. He or she has not yet reached the official age at which they may leave school, also referred to as the minimum school leaving age.
- Before a young person starts work or undertakes training in the workplace, a suitable and sufficient risk assessment is carried out.
- The findings of the risk assessment are brought to the attention of all interested parties including the young person’s parents or guardians where appropriate.
- A staff member is allocated with personal responsibility for supervision of the young person.
- Each young person is provided with adequate training and information before starting work or training and further training is provided as necessary.
- Activities in the workplace from which young persons are prohibited or where additional supervision is required are made clear to all persons involved, and verbal instructions are confirmed in writing.
For further advice please contact Mark Dalton or why not connect with him on Linked In?
