Young People at Work

If / when you employ young people under the age of 18, you have the same responsibilities for their health, safety and welfare as you do for other employees. This applies whether they are:

• a worker
• on work experience
• an apprentice

Risks to young people

Young people are likely to be new to the workplace and your industry with significantly less experience than that of older employees, so therefore, are at more risk of injury, as they may be less aware of risks. They will often be more exposed to risks, as they may:

• lack experience or maturity
• not have reached physical maturity and lack strength
• be eager to impress or please people they work with
• be unaware of how to raise concerns

Training and supervision

Young people that you employ need clear instruction, training and supervision so they understand the importance of health and safety and can work without putting themselves and other people at risk. They may need more instruction, training and supervision than adults.

Work experience

Work experience and work-based learning will be the first time most young people experience a workplace environment.

Under health and safety law, work experience students are your employees, like any other young person you employ. There are very few work activities a student cannot do because of health and safety law.

Risk assessment is a key component of the planning stage prior to welcoming work experience students or young workers to your workplace and what you cover in your risk assessment depends on the level of risk.

You should review your risk assessment before they start if you:

• do not currently employ a young person
• have not employed a young person in the last few years
• are taking on a work experience student for the first time
• are taking on a work experience student with particular needs

You should discuss the findings of the risk assessment in advance with organisers and take account of what they and the parents or carers tell you about:

• the student’s physical and psychological capacity
• any particular needs – for example due to any health conditions or learning difficulties

Explain to parents / carers of children what the significant risks are and what has been done to control them. You can do this in whatever way is simplest and suitable, including verbally, and is very often done via the school or college.

When you induct students, explain the risks and how they are controlled, checking that they understand what they have been told.

The law

Under health and safety law, as an employer, you must ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all your employees, of any age. As part of this, there are certain considerations that should be made for young people.

A young person is anyone under 18 and a child is anyone who has not yet reached the official minimum school leaving age (MSLA). Pupils will reach the MSLA during the school year in which they turn 16.

Children below the MSLA must not be employed in industrial workplaces such as factories, construction sites, except on work experience.

Children under 13 are generally prohibited from any form of employment. Local authorities have powers to make bye-laws on the types of work, and hours of work, children aged between 13 and the MSLA can do.

Should you require any assistance or guidance with your young person’s risk assessment, our experienced Consultants will be happy to help.

Click here to read more about your H&S obligations.