News Article

Risk Assessment - Employing Young people at work

As an employer, you should already be managing any significant risks for all staff in your workplace. But you should assess any additional factors if you employ a young person.

When employing young people under the age of 18, you have the same responsibilities for their health, safety and welfare as you do for other workers. This applies whether they are an employee on work experience or with you as an apprentice.

Young people are more likely to be new to the workplace and, as they may be less aware of risks, are more at risk of injury in the first six months of starting a job

If you are employing a young person for the first time, or one with particular needs, you should review your risk assessment before they start. For work experience students a separate assessment is not needed as long as your existing assessment already considers the specific factors for young people.

For many young people the workplace will be a new environment. They will be unfamiliar with 'obvious' risks and the behaviour expected of them.

They may lack experience or maturity, be keen to impress or may not have the confidence to raise and concerns. Make sure they understand what is expected of them and can remember and follow instructions.

Placements in low-risk environments, such as offices or shops, with everyday risks that will mostly be familiar to a young person or student, should be covered by your existing arrangements for other workers.

In environments with risks less familiar to young people (for example in light assembly or packing facilities), your arrangements to manage the risks should include induction, supervision, site familiarisation and any protective equipment needed.

For higher-risk environment such as construction, agriculture and manufacturing you should consider the type of work they will be doing or observing, the risks that are involved and how they are managed. You should satisfy yourself that the instruction, training and supervisory arrangements have been properly thought through and work in practice.

For more information about carrying out and documenting your risk assessment please contact Nigel Kennedy on 07951 120328 or email nkennedy@reesastley.co.uk

Source Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

 

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