Advice for Work Experience Organisers
Now take a look at some typical Work Experience Scenarios and put your skills to the test.
When arranging work experience, organisers need to know who is responsible for giving them any relevant information about students’ health problems or disabilities. Are these…
Education employers are the only ones responsible for providing relevant information about medical conditions, disabilities, behavioural, learning and language difficulties to the organisers. However, parents, guardians and students can also help by supplying relevant information but do not have to under health and safety law. A useful publication is Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs DfES guide and their circular 14/96. See also the HSE publication Managing Health and Safety on Work Experience
What details of the student’s medical background does a placement provider need to know?
Yes, but there may be other conditions you might consider pertinent to making a placement unsuitable, (for a full list see DfES guide Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs). However, if you use this information you need to obtain consent from the School Medical Service. When the parent/guardian signs the consent form you will need to explain that this will be shown to the employer.
The student also has responsibilities. Which of the following is the student responsible for?
The students participating in work experience have the same duties as other employees in the workplace and not only have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety but also that of other people who may be affected by their actions. They must also report accidents/damage to the placement provider. The organiser and provider should make the student aware of these responsibilities.
Which of the following can a 16 year old student do on his/her work placement?
It is unlawful to work in a bar under 18 years old. A food processor can be used with supervision. A fork-lift truck cannot be used by anyone under 18. A coffee machine can be used without supervision.
Some students find their own placements. If a student finds his/her own placement do you require a risk assessment from the provider?
You have to take “reasonable practicable measures” to arrive at an informed opinion about health, safety and welfare arrangements and to assess suitability of a placement provider whatever the business, be this for students who have found their own placement or are placed within their own family business.
Who has the main responsibility of ensuring that the workplace is safe as specified by health and safety laws?
Although the answer is (B), the organiser also has responsibility to do what is “reasonably practicable” to check on such provision. This should be done during an initial visit. A useful check-list can be found in Appendix 2 of the HSE publication Managing Health and Safety on Work Experience. A guide for organisers
When carrying out an initial assessment of a placement provider which of the following do you need to check?
All of these must be checked although the business vehicle insurance certificate is only needed if students will be vehicle passengers. It is particularly useful to speak to the supervisor to ensure that he/she is aware of any potential difficulties. For more information of what to check at initial assessment see HSE publication Managing Health and Safety on Work Experience. A guide for organisers
Do the same UK health and safety laws apply to work experience overseas?
You are advised to restrict work experience abroad to students over 16, particularly in view of the language difficulties they will face and the varying approaches to health and safety and insurance in the EU. UK health and safety laws do not apply to overseas work experience placements. To get guidance on good practice see Health and safety guidance when working overseas produced by the University and Colleges Employers’ Association and full list of HSE publications.
Male workers tend to be employed in higher risk occupations than female workers. After allowing for this, do you think that:
Male workers are 20% more likely to suffer a workplace injury. In fact the rate of workplace injury for male workers is over 75% higher than that for female workers, reflecting the fact that they tend to be employed in higher risk occupations. However, even after allowing for the difference in risk factor, male workers are still 20% more likely to suffer a workplace injury than female workers.
Which of the following industries has the highest rate of major injuries to employees?
Quarrying of stone, ore and clay has the highest rate of major injuries to employees. The risk of major injuries is, in decreasing order, quarrying; manufacturing of wood and wood products; extraction of coal, oil and gas; construction; manufacturing of food products; manufacturing of other non-metallic mineral products; manufacturing of basic metals and fabricated metal products; manufacturing of rubber and plastic products; transport, storage and communication; agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing. However, the risks are in a different order for FATAL injuries, with agriculture right behind the leader, quarrying, followed by mining and construction.
Children on work experience have which of the following Health and Safety entitlements?
The same as all other employees. If employers offer work experience placements, they must provide the same protection offered to other employees, whatever their age. However, organisers must do all they can to ensure that students are not placed in a working environment where there are significant risks to their health and safety.
Children under 18 years of age, on work experience, may…
Only the bacon-slicer may be used, and that only under supervision. Other activities that figure on the prohibited list are: entering a vehicle being used for transporting explosives, except under supervision; using circular saws, band-saws and vertical spindle moulding machines; using high-risk lifting machinery such as cranes, construction site hoists and fork-lift trucks; working in shipyards where there is a risk of falling or drowning; many jobs in mines. For further information see Appendix 1 of Young People at Work, a guide for employers
A student on work experience thinks he needs personal protective equipment. Which of the following must the provider make available?
The only case cited where no protective equipment need be provided is eye protection for bright sunshine. It should be remembered that PPE should only be provided as a last resort. It is best that the employer seeks ways to minimise the risk without resort to PPE.
An organiser’s initial enquiries must ensure which of the following:
A risk assessment must have been carried out by the provider before the start of the placement, and s/he need only have a written Health and Safety Policy if there are 5 or more employees, including the student. You should, however, satisfy yourself that the provider will keep the risk assessment under review and adjust it to reflect any changes in work activity. You should also inform providers in advance of any health condition or learning disability that might increase the risks to him/herself or other workers. As for any doubts that you might have about the employer’s suitability, bear in mind that the organiser is expected to do what is “reasonably practical” to ensure the safety of the young person.
Which of the following should be done prior to a student attending a work placement?
The provider must do a risk assessment, the organiser must visit the site and information gained from each of the parties should be shared with the 3 parties. Site visits are important to enable them to arrive at an informed opinion about Health and Safety arrangements and to assess its suitability for a placement. The school/college is not required to give training in the job skills.
Where can you find help to devise a Health and Safety checklist to use when making a site visit?
Possibly all of these, but the HSE has several useful booklets on this subject, including ‘Managing Health and Safety on Work Experience’, in which you will find a checklist in Appendix2.
Which of the following is a legal requirement for any work experience employer?
The same law is applicable to both work experience students and full time employees. The employer must provide drinking water for all employees. This should be either drinking water from a tap or from a portable water supply.
In the event of an accident when undertaking their work experience placement, is a student entitled to injury benefits?
Under the Social Security Act (1975) students are not eligible for industrial injury benefit since they do not receive any payment for this work. This condition should be made clear to parents/guardians when signing a consent form. A parent might want to satisfy themselves with other routes of compensation.
Which of the following is the legal hourly limit an adolescent worker could be expected to work in a week?
Under the European Directive on Working Time Regulations (WTR) an employer can only expect the student to work for 48 hours in a week. However, the student can choose to do more if they wish, and if under 16 have parental consent.
In the space of a 7-day week how many days off is a work experience student entitled to?
If the student is under the age of 16 (an adolescent), they are legally entitled to two days off per week. If the student is over 16 the normal Working Time Regulations (WTR) apply, and the student will be entitled to one day off. Obviously, the amount of days the employer expects should be made clear before the student agrees to the placement.
Which of the following is an employer legally obliged to do in the event of a student receiving an injury whilst on the placement?
Although answer (D) would be desirable, the employer is only legally obliged to contact the relevant enforcing authority, which would be the HSE or Environmental Health Department of the council. Any further reporting/action would then be their responsibility. If you were made aware of such an accident, you should keep a record of the details and carry out another Risk Assessment of the employer if the injury is deemed serious enough.
Which of the following is the maximum penalty for failing to comply with Safety regulations?
If an employer is found guilty of contravening any Health and Safety regulations, such as the Health & Safety Act 1974, they could be fined up to £5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to six months.
Following a risk assessment of the workplace, which of the following must you legally provide?
Students and parents must be informed about any risks to the student’s health and safety identified by the assessment, but this does not have to be in written form.
By law, which of the following risk assessments conducted by the employer is considered acceptable when providing a placement for a student?
Under the Health and Safety (Young Persons) Regulations 1997 an employer is required to assess the risk to a young worker (under 18) before the placement starts. The employer must be aware that a young person is more at risk of an injury due to immaturity and unfamiliar surroundings. The risk assessment must reflect this, and hence, a previous assessment for other full time workers is not acceptable.
