Health and Safety Executive’s Info Line 0845 345 0055 and www.hse.gov.uk

Acts of Parliament lay down things that must be done. It is a criminal offence if you do not comply. The overriding act is the Health and Safety at Work etc 1974 together with supporting Regulations

One (even if this is the student). These are available from good stationers priced at about £7.50. Alternatively a personal copy of the small version will suffice.

These are the same as your responsibilities to your employees

When you employ more than 5 employees including the work experience student.

You need to comply with all the requirements for your own employees. In particular you should check that the main contractors also has all the legal requirements in place

This should be provided on the first day and include:

• Evacuation procedures
• First Aid / accident Arrangements
• Tour of the premises and introduction to key staff
• Supervision
• Do and Don’ts
• Prohibited areas, prohibited machinery and prohibited tasks

This should be declared by the student, parent or school. This could be discussed with the student at the pre placement visit.

Yes – parents should know that they are allowed out but you should take a common sense view by recognising the surroundings and likely risks involved. e.g. A visit to the local pub is probably not appropriate.

Stay Calm, establish the facts, do not get into a debate about the issues on the spot. Get in contact with the Work Experience Co-ordinator at the school.

You must contact the school.

No but you may pay reasonable expenses or assist in providing refreshments.

Yes, however follow your disciplinary procedures. Inform the school immediately. If you are escorting them off site ensure that they have a safe place to go to.

Follow your disciplinary procedures and inform the school. Ensure that your report on the student makes reference to this.

Your material damage policy should provide cover. You should have notified your broker prior to taking the student

• Provide First Aid as appropriate
• Contact emergency services if appropriate
• Contact the school
• Enter the incident in the accident book and if appropriate follow the RIDDOR reporting procedures (Ring 0845 300 9923 or 0151 922 9235(24 hour)

You will need to consider that students may find it difficult to be on their feet for 8 hours a day and may have difficulty concentrating for long periods of time. This could be a health and safety issue where a lapse of attention could be dangerous.

The legal requirements are:

• Minimum uninterrupted half hour break after four and a half hours.
• No more than 8 working hours in any 24 hours
• Only 5 working days out of 7
• Not after 10pm or before 6am or after 11pm or before 7am depending on the working pattern of your company.
• 12 hours uninterrupted break between shifts.
• The actual hours of work will be shown on the Job Description

Yes but you should consider need to discuss the extent of the one to one working wioth the school or organisation organising the placement. For example, if it were 8 hours a day for 5 days without contact with other people, the placement would probably not be suitable. In some circumstances an enhanced disclosure check will be made with the Criminal Records Bureau check will be required.

You must have Employer’s Liability (Compulsory) Insurance to cover the period of time that the student is with you

As soon as you employ anyone including the work experience student. Also in some cases where you use subcontractors who regularly work for you. You should inform your broker that you are taking a work experience student.

The Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990 state that for the purposes of work experience the student is classed as an employee. Therefore employers liability insurance is compulsory to cover the student. You should inform your broker that you are taking a work experience student.

The Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990 state that for the purposes of work experience the student is classed as an employee. However they cannot be paid

Yes if the risk assessment calls for them to be worn. However some students may be able to provide their own or have some other arrangement to supply them. You must, however, check the suitability.

The student must not undertake the tasks where the risk assessment calls for them to be worn.

Follow the company’s disciplinary code. In some circumstances this may terminate the placement

You need to recognise that students are likely to be inexperienced, unaware of health and safety risks and physically or mentally immature in order to decide if the task is safe and suitable. This could form part of a risk assessment.

There are certain activities that are prohibited by Law.

Working at height is governed by having a risk assessment appropriate for the student and the tasks being carried out.

Particular attention needs to be paid to access and egress.

You may decide that students will not work above 2 metres or above first lift.

Students should not work from ladders.

Students should not work from ladders. However they may be used to safely gain access to a safe working platform providing the student is trained in climbing ladders and the ladder is properly installed and maintained.

Step ladders should be inspected and comply with the appropriate industry standard and have hand rails and a platform for tools etc. Adequate training should be given before allowing the student to use them.

No. UK law is not appropriate when working abroad.

A risk assessment must be completed for the new tasks and the Schoool or work experience co-ordinator informed